The War of the Roses (film)
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The War of the Roses | |
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Theatrical release poster |
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Directed by | Danny DeVito |
Produced by | James L. Brooks & Arnon Milchan |
Written by | Warren Adler (novel) Michael J. Leeson (screenplay) |
Starring | Michael Douglas Kathleen Turner Danny DeVito |
Music by | David Newman |
Cinematography | Stephen H. Burum |
Editing by | Lynzee Klingman |
Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date(s) | December 8, 1989 |
Running time | 116 min. |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $50 million |
Gross revenue | $150 million |
IMDb profile |
The War of the Roses is a 1989 American motion picture based upon the 1981 novel The War of the Roses by Warren Adler. It is a dark comedy about a wealthy couple with a seemingly perfect marriage. He is a successful lawyer and his wife is building her own catering business. When their marriage begins to fall apart, material possessions become the center of an outrageous and bitter divorce battle.
In both the novel and the movie, the married couple's family name is Rose. At the same time, the title of the book/film alludes to the battles between the Houses of York and Lancaster at the end of the Middle Ages (see Wars of the Roses). In the German-speaking world, since the release of the movie, the word Rosenkrieg (meaning "Roses war", or less literally, "War of the Roses") has come to denote such a bitter fight for material possessions (and maybe also for custody of the children) as depicted in the film, with most speakers completely unaware of the word's origins.
Contents |
[edit] Primary cast
- Michael Douglas : Oliver Rose
- Kathleen Turner : Barbara Rose
- Danny DeVito : Gavin D'Amato, attorney
- Marianne Sägebrecht : Susan
- Sean Astin : Josh at 17
- Heather Fairfield : Carolyn at 17
- G.D. Spradlin : Harry Thurmont
- Peter Donat : Jason Larrabee
This is the third film to co-star Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito after Romancing the Stone and its sequel The Jewel of the Nile.
[edit] Synopsis
The film begins with Gavin D'Amato (Danny DeVito) talking to a client about the subject of divorce and cigarettes. Gavin tells the man that he "quit for thirteen years, and then Barbara showed up". A brief flashback shows Barbara Rose (Kathleen Turner) trying to seduce Gavin. Gavin then begins to tell his client about the War of the Roses.
Oliver Rose (Michael Douglas) meets Barbara in Nantucket at the end of the tourist season. They both find a small auction tent and proceed to bargain. Oliver spots an antique Japanese Homunculus (a delicate statue) up for auction. As he begins to bid on it, he is consistently overbid by Barbara, with Barbara ultimately winning the bid. Afterwards, Oliver tries to get the statue from Barbara and they have a pleasant conversation, in which Barbara demonstrates some of her strength moves from gymnastics. Later she misses her ferry and winds up having sex with Oliver.
We move forward a few years, with Oliver now working very hard in his firm, Barbara is a waitress, and they have two children, Josh and Carolyn. Already, we see that the children are very disobedient and spoiled, and we learn that they get this from their mother, who constantly gives them treats, under the delusion that if she gives them what they want (particularly candy), they will grow up to be the perfect kids.
Barbara encourages Oliver out for a walk on Christmas Eve where she reveals to him that she bought him a Morgan, a classic automobile that Oliver has always wanted. It seems like a fairy tale, but is far from it.
Moving a few years ahead, we have come to find that Oliver has been very successful in his practice, Barbara is still a waitress and the kids have become obese. Oliver has invited his senior partners over for dinner at their apartment and wants to make an impression. Oliver wants to show off their Baccarat glassward and insists that Barbara tell the story about how they got it. Barbara begins to tell the guests the story, but she is constantly interrupted by Oliver when she doesn't get the facts right. She is also annoyed with Oliver's fake laugh with his partners and the fact that Gavin is playing footsie with his date, using carrots to massage her feet. That night, she begins to taunt Oliver about his laugh.
Some time later, we find that Barbara has been writing notes to people who own wealthy mansions in the hopes that the house will sell and she can become the buyer. On one such occasion, much to the annoyance of Josh and Carolyn, she writes a letter to an owner, and when she attempts to put the letter on the door, she meets the daughter of the owner of the mansion who just recently died. The daughter is looking for someone to take care of the house and eventually, the Roses purchase the house.
After many years of slaving over furniture and decorations, Barbara finishes the house to her satisfaction. The kids (now trim and athletic) are off at college. She begins her own catering business and buys herself a large SUV, much to Oliver's distaste. As events unfold, Barbara has become annoyed with anything Oliver does, and Oliver is oblivious to his wife's feelings. When she asks him to check a contract for a luncheon she is catering, he smashes a fly with the paper, then gets excited when a phone call he has been expecting results in good news for him. Barbara proceeds to set every kitchen appliance running and leaves the room.
That night, Oliver and Barbara begin wrestling in bed, when Barbara squeezes Oliver between her legs, making him sore. When he begins to taunt back, she switches off the light and turns her back on him. He utters "What the hell is wrong with you?". She doesn't answer. Gavin, in his storytelling, tells his client that that meant trouble.
The next day, Oliver suffers what he thinks is a heart-attack while at lunch with his clients. He is rushed to the hospital. Oliver is scared because he thinks he's going to die, and writes a note to Barbara saying "All that I am and all that I have I owe to you". He comes to find it wasn't a heart attack after all, and is waiting for Barbara to pick him up at the hospital. She never shows up. He ends up having to take a train to get home.
Later, Barbara comes home and is relieved that he is okay. He reads her his note. Later that same night, Oliver is fast asleep and Barbara is restless. She wakes Oliver by putting her fingers up his nose, wanting to talk to him about what happened to her on the way to the hospital. She tells him that she felt scared because she felt happy, happy that she would be free of him. She eventually reveals that she wants a divorce, having grown so disgusted with him that she wants to "smash his face in" every time she sees him. When Oliver taunts her, she responds with a punch that sends her husband reeling. Oliver then tells her to get a good lawyer to which she responds, "The best your money can buy."
Unfortunately, they both want the house and its contents, and neither refuses to budge. This results in their harassing each other, making wild scenes and destroying each other's prized possessions. Oliver runs over Barbara's cat and throws it in the trash, leaving her to wonder what happened to it. When Barbara has numerous guests over for dinner, Oliver walks in clearly drunk and proceeds, in front of everyone, to blow his nose and toss the used tissue into a large bowl of soup. He storms into the kitchen where he is discovered, by Barbara and a guest, urinating in the fish platter - the next course. Barbara hits him on the back with the frying pan, and then drives her SUV over Oliver's car, essentially demolishing it while he was behind the wheel. The next day she makes him some pate and he describes it as delicious. Although Oliver's dog is alive and well outside, Barbara insinuates the pate is made from the dog. Enraged, Oliver attacks her and this fight results in their running through the house, throwing dishes and other valuables at each other. Eventually, both Barbara and Oliver wind up hanging from the chandelier in their main hallway. Terrified at not being able to get down safely, they are able to alert their housekeeper, who manages to get Gavin over to the house. However, before the housekeeper and Gavin can come back with a ladder to let them down, the support bolts for the chandelier give way and the chandelier drops to the floor, with both Barbara and Oliver lying in a mangled heap amid the glass shards. In their last moment together, Oliver moves his hand slightly towards Barbara, who moves her hand in kind, until they are touching. Barbara shoves his hand away, and they die.
The movie then goes back to Gavin talking to his client, telling him that he has one of two options - he can go ahead with the divorce the man is looking for - which would require a long, tough fight. Or he can get up and go home to his wife. Gavin turns his back to light a cigarette while the client quietly gets up and walks out of the office. Gavin smiles, calls his own wife, tells her he'll be home soon, and that he loves her, then hangs up, looking out the window.
[edit] Promotional faux pas
During the promotion for this film in 1989, stars Michael Douglas and Danny DeVito appeared on the then-popular late-night talk show hosted by Arsenio Hall. During the discussion of the film, Arsenio Hall, somewhat aloofly, gave away the ending to the film, much to the apparent shock of his two guests. The faux pas was actually aired, along with Douglas' and DeVito's reactions, though Arsenio Hall later in the program unsuccessfully tried to save face by turning his mistake into a joke.
[edit] Award nominations
- BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay – (Michael J. Leeson)
- Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
- Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy - (Michael Douglas)
- Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy - (Kathleen Turner)