A married couple try everything to get each other to leave the house in a vicious divorce battle.
Director:
Danny DeVito
From metacritic.com
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Edit
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 | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
See All (74) »
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.. Written by Rob Hartill
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.Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
Edit
See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
8 December 1989 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Der Rosenkrieg See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$26,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$9,488,794, 10 December 1989Gross USA:
$86,888,546Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$160,188,546Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby SRColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
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 ...
[...]
See more »
Traditional
Arranged by Sam Pottle
Performed by Sesame Street Cast
Courtesy of Children's Television Workshop
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The name of the character of Jonathan Rose from Warren Adler's source novel "The War of the Roses" was changed to Oliver Rose (played by Michael Douglas) for this feature film adaptation. See more »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. See more »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 ...
[...]
See more »
Soundtracks
We Wish You a Merry ChristmasTraditional
Arranged by Sam Pottle
Performed by Sesame Street Cast
Courtesy of Children's Television Workshop
See more »
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I remember seeing this film in the theater.
Always have enjoyed it.
How dirty each character will play to get that house.
True, I do not like the film as much today as I did when first released.
Trying to point my finger as to why.
The end of Kathleen's time in the 1980's of being a popular actress. Last of the few hits films she was in.
I do have the film on all 3 formats, VHS, laser disc & DVD.
I remember Danny talking on the laser disc commentary about people believe the dog had been killed in the film when you could see he was not.
Of course, Dan Castellaneta from The Simpsons sitting in that chair in Danny's characters office & he did not say a word.
A DARK comedy, a major one & a good one.