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The War of the Roses (1989)

R  |   |  Comedy, Romance  |  8 December 1989 (USA)
6.8
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Ratings: 6.8/10 from 35,298 users   Metascore: 79/100
Reviews: 95 user | 45 critic | 17 from Metacritic.com

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

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(novel), (screenplay)
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Title: The War of the Roses (1989)

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Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Peter Donat ...
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Gloria Cromwell ...
Harlan Arnold ...
Mary Fogarty ...
Rika Hofmann ...
Patricia Allison ...
Maureen
Peter Brocco ...
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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 Summary | Plot Synopsis

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 | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

8 December 1989 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Der Rosenkrieg  »

Box Office

Gross:

$83,699,711 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The second feature film directed by Danny DeVito which was made and released about two years after his first which was 1987's Throw Momma from the Train (1987). See more »

Goofs

At the estate auction at the beginning of the film, Oliver and Barbara bid against each other for the figurine of a woman. Oliver's auction book shows a photo with the caption, "Chinese Homunculus". The auctioneer then describes it as an "exquisite Japanese carving". 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 »

Connections

Referenced in White Collar: Pulling Strings (2012) See more »

Soundtracks

Only You (And You Alone)
Written by Buck Ram and Ande Rand
Performed by The Platters
Courtesy of PolyGram Special Projects a division of
PolyGram Records, Inc.
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Delightful.
7 June 2000 | by See all my reviews

A very good movie, one that holds up well after repeated viewings. Even if you're familiar with the story, DeVito's methodical and precise direction makes it thoroughly absorbing all over again. This movie has the directorial perfection of a good Alfred Hitchcock thriller, but it's not either a thriller or a comedy; it's a unique mix of elements from several genres, that does contain some laughs and sardonic humor, but also has serious undertones, mostly thanks to Michael Douglas' three-dimensional character and surprisingly sensitive performance. Strongly recommended.


17 of 22 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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Not A Comedy` dondi_v
Why do people think that all conflicts among couples are like this? heidegg-1
Did part of her still love him? jcloud28
Is it me or has it improved with age? stuffic
Am I the only one who thinks Michael Douglas is hillarious. rbostic84
Waste of Time !!! harry_potter_fan62
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