The War of the Roses (1989)

A married couple try everything to get each other to leave the house in a vicious divorce battle.

Director:

Danny DeVito

Writers:

Warren Adler (novel), Michael Leeson (screenplay)

Stars:

Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Douglas	...	Oliver Rose
Kathleen Turner	...	Barbara Rose
Danny DeVito	...	Gavin D'Amato
Marianne Sägebrecht	...	Susan
Sean Astin	...	Josh at 17
Heather Fairfield	...	Carolyn at 17
G.D. Spradlin	...	Harry Thurmont
Peter Donat	...	Jason Larrabee
Dan Castellaneta	...	Man in Chair
Gloria Cromwell	...	Mrs. Marshall
Harlan Arnold	...	Mr. Dell
Mary Fogarty	...	Mrs. Dell
Rika Hofmann	...	Elke
Patricia Allison	...	Maureen
Peter Brocco	...	Elderly Mourner

Storyline

The Roses, Barbara and Oliver, live happily as a married couple. Then she starts to wonder what life would be like without Oliver, and likes what she sees. Both want to stay in the house, and so they begin a campaign to force each other to leave. In the middle of the fighting is D'Amato, the divorce lawyer. He gets to see how far both will go to get rid of the other, and boy do they go far..

---

Plot Keywords:

marital problem | dysfunctional marriage | divorce | married couple | couple | 

---

Taglines:

Once in a lifetime comes a motion picture that makes you feel like falling in love all over again. This is not that movie.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 December 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Rosenkrieg

Filming Locations:

119 Fremont Place, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$26,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,488,794, 10 December 1989

Gross USA:

$86,888,546

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$160,188,546

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox, Gracie Films, Regency International Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of two 1989 movies starring Michael Douglas. The other film was Black Rain (1989). Both pictures were "black" i.e. that movie was called Black Rain (1989) whilst this picture was a "black comedy".

---

Goofs

After Barbara runs over Oliver's car, we see a view from the left side of the crushed car. Then, after a shot of the dinner guests followed by a close-up of Barbara in the truck, there is a shot showing the front of the car, with steam suddenly rising from the engine. Since the car was not running, the engine would not have been hot, so there would have been no steam.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Gavin: [Gavin is talking to a client] You have some valid reasons for wanting a divorce.
[blows his nose with a handkerchief]
Gavin: Excuse me. My sinuses are very sensitive to irritants.
[sprays nasal decongestant up his nostrils]
Gavin: In the past five months, I think I've breathed freely with both sides working maybe a week total.
[pulls a cigarette out of a pack]
Gavin: I gotta cut this out. It's gonna kill me.
[lights his cigarette]
Gavin: I hadn't smoked for thirteen years. I kept the last cigarette from my last ...
[...]

---

Connections

Referenced in Hearts Afire: Significant Others (1992)

---

Soundtracks

We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Traditional
Arranged by Sam Pottle
Performed by Sesame Street Cast
Courtesy of Children's Television Workshop

User Reviews

it's great

i don't know why i like this movie so much! Lol i've first watched it in 1989, and then i read the novel of this. i've watched couple of times more, and i watched it last night again. (on pay-view TV) two actors are just great, good at everything. Michael Douglas is seriously good yet funny. if you have a experience of divorce, totally understand what they feel. yes, it's too much. normally we don't do this badly. like try to kill each other, he he and i really like this actress. i didn't know it's Chandler's father!!!(in sitcom drama Friends) i didn't realize it was her. wow, she's beautiful! OK, it's a good funny black comedy movie, i like it =)