The War of the Roses (1989)

Director:

Danny DeVito

Writers (WGA):

Warren Adler (novel)
Michael Leeson (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 December 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Dysfunctional Family | Female To Male Foot In Crotch | Hospital | Husband Wife Relationship | Destruction

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

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
Philip Perlman	...	Bidder at Auction
Susan Isaacs	...	Auctioneer's Assistant
Trenton Teigen	...	Josh at 10
Bethany McKinney	...	Carolyn at 10
Shirley Mitchell	...	Mrs. Dewitt
Ellen Crawford	...	Nurse #1
Michael Adler	...	Dr. Hillerman
Lisa Howard	...	Nurse #2
Jeff Thomas	...	Orderly
Jacqueline Cassell	...	Gavin's Secretary
Vickilyn Reynolds	...	Nancy, Oliver's Secretary
Eunice Suarez	...	Latin Woman
Julia Elliott	...	Latin Assistant
Tony Crane	...	Teenage Boy
Ryan Wickers	...	Josh at 3
Shaun Wickers	...	Josh at 3
Catherine Donohue	...	Carolyn at 3
Mary Donohue	...	Carolyn at 3
Sue Palka	...	Anchorwoman
Morris Jones	...	Anchorman
Roy Brocksmith	...	Mr. Fisk
Peter Hansen	...	Mr. Marshall
Robert Harper	...	Heath
Prince Hughes	...	Bleeding Man
Danitra Vance	...	Manicurist Trainee
David Wohl	...	Dr. Gordon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Popeye	...	Benny
Tyler	...	Kitty Kitty

Directed by
Danny DeVito

Writing credits (WGA)
Warren Adler		(novel)
Michael Leeson		(screenplay)

Produced by
James L. Brooks	....	producer
Doug Claybourne	....	executive producer
Michael Leeson	....	co-producer
Arnon Milchan	....	producer
J. Marina Muhlfriedel	....	associate producer
Polly Platt	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David Newman

Cinematography by
Stephen H. Burum		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Lynzee Klingman

Production Design by
Ida Random

Art Direction by
Mark W. Mansbridge

Set Decoration by
Anne D. McCulley

Costume Design by
Gloria Gresham

Makeup Department
Stephen Abrums	....	makeup supervisor
Audrey L. Anzures	....	hair stylist
Kathryn Blondell	....	hair stylist
John M. Elliott Jr.	....	makeup artist (as John Elliott)
John M. Elliott Jr.	....	makeup artist: Kathleen Turner
Bunny Parker	....	hair stylist (as Bunny Parker-Adamson)
Gina Rylander	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Robert Latham Brown	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Matt Bearson	....	second assistant director
Jeffrey M. Ellis	....	second assistant director
Thomas Lofaro	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Steven Braund	....	property maker
Oscar Delgadillo	....	set dresser
Mark Fabus	....	set designer
Perry Gray	....	set designer
Sherman Labby	....	production illustrator
Robert Misetich	....	set paint foreman
Stan Tropp	....	set designer
Butch West	....	construction coordinator
Steven Westlund	....	property master

Sound Department
Christopher E. Bennett	....	apprentice sound editor
Bill W. Benton	....	sound re-recordist
Marty Church	....	adr mixer
Marty Church	....	foley mixer
Don Coufal	....	boom operator
John Duvall	....	foley editor
Matthew Iadarola	....	sound re-recordist
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recordist
Elliott Koretz	....	sound editor
Michael Magill	....	sound editor
Chuck Michael	....	foley editor
Dan Sharp	....	sound re-recordist
Leslie Shatz	....	sound re-recordist
Leslie Shatz	....	supervising sound editor
David E. Stone	....	sound editor
Renee Tondelli	....	adr supervisor
Jennifer L. Ware	....	sound recordist
Jeff Wexler	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
John Frazier	....	special effects

Stunts
M. James Arnett	....	stunts (as Jim Arnett)
Janet Brady	....	stunts
Richard Drown	....	stunts
Jon H. Epstein	....	stunts
Marcia Holley	....	stunts
Tracy Keehn-Dashnaw	....	stunts (as Tracy Keehn)
Patricia M. Peters	....	stunts (as Trisha Peters)
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts
Michael Runyard	....	stunt coordinator (as Mike Runyard)
Cris Thomas-Palomino	....	stunts (as Chris Palomino)
Sammy Thurman	....	stunts
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Keith Tellez	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Apger	....	second assistant camera
Alan S. Blauvelt	....	assistant camera
Dustin Blauvelt	....	camera operator
François Duhamel	....	still photographer
Clyde Hart	....	key grip
Steven C. Hodge	....	film lighting technician
Alex Skvorzov	....	gaffer
Scott C. Williman	....	lamp operator

Casting Department
David Rubin	....	casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Oda Groeschel	....	costumer
Janis Mekaelian	....	costumer
G. Tony Scarano	....	costumer

Editorial Department
John Ganem	....	assistant editor
Lawrence Jordan	....	associate editor
L. James Langlois	....	assistant editor
Maria Lee Silver	....	assistant editor
Nicholas C. Smith	....	additional editor

Music Department
Tim Boyle	....	score mixer
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Tom Villano	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Gina August	....	driver
James Nordberg	....	transportation

Other crew
Elaine Bass	....	title designer
Saul Bass	....	title designer
Thomas R. Burman	....	body double creator: Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner
Mary Courtney	....	production coordinator
Wendy Davies	....	stand-in
Bari Dreiband-Burman	....	body double creator: Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner
Wilma Garscadden-Gahret	....	script supervisor
Jane Hamsher	....	production assistant
Cindy Lasher	....	nurse
Taman McCall	....	location manager
Heather Murphy	....	production coordinator: Washington
Julie Offer	....	location projectionist
Paul Rahmes	....	personal assistant to director
Errol Reichow	....	assistant location manager
Mark Reilly	....	stand-in
David Ian Salter	....	production intern
Fred Scialla	....	stand-in
Jill Simpson	....	special assistant to producers
Mark Suveg	....	craft service

Production Companies

• Gracie Films
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS Television (1995) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox (UK)
• Abril Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Fox Video (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Kona Cutting  negative cutting
• Lorimar Studios  sound re-recording
• PMK Public Relations  publicity
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Segue Music  music editing
• Varèse Sarabande  score album released by (limited edition)

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Iceland:12 | USA:R (certificate #30033) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

119 Fremont Place, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Gracie Films

Trivia:

In 1953, Alfred Newman composed and recorded the 20th Century Fox Fanfare "with Cinemascope extension". In 1989, his son, David Newman re-recorded the fanfare for "The War of the Roses" in order to have the last note of the fanfare segue seamlessly into the first note of the opening titles music.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Oliver and Barbara are eating dinner at either end of a long dining room table, there are two glasses in front of Oliver (when he is looking toward his food). When we see Oliver's end of the table from Barbara's perspective, the two glasses are not there.

Quotes:

Oliver Rose: [mistakenly almost hits Susan with the thrown chair] Oh, I'm sorry, Susan. I thought you are Barbara.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mama's Family: War of the Roses (#6.12)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

You're gonna laugh: with or without embarrassment, it's up to you

I just saw this on telly again after a long time, and, having quickly browsed through user comments, I realise pretty much everything has been said about this film - in some cases to nauseating detail too - including all sorts of social and psychological analysis of the "battle of the sexes", etc etc....what people forget is that this is essentially a story about how love turns into blinding hate and that everything else that goes on is completely incidental, including the characters' backgrounds, sexes, social status, the milieu they live in, or the current sign of the times. From that point of view this is primarily a study of characters (and a fascinating one too) rather than anything else.

Turner and Douglas wrap up a brilliant script and a sparkling dialogue with what seems to be considerable ease and an impressive attention to detail, no doubt guided along by De Vito, whose direction is firm and playful at the same time, and in many instances even inspiring - he gets the mood just right, the tone constantly on an uncomfortable edge between a mordantly funny comedy and an ugly human conflict. In fact, the whole length of the film film ticks exceptionally well - slowed here and there, possibly, by the lack of strength of secondary characters - Sagerbrecht is a bit uneasy in this, at least to my liking, and the kids are completely bypassed -the scenes involving them are perhaps the weakest. The ending moral finger-wagging given by De Vito's character is also a bit heavy handed - but then this is Hollywood after all. It could have easily been much worse, we could have been fed a happy ending, god forbid. Instead, De Vito calls his own sweet wife and says he's coming home. Well, I can live with that, although some European director would have just left Oliver and Barbara laying there smashed under the chandelier and that would have been it. But I shouldn't complain....

Overall very funny and enjoyable. Check it out.