The War of the Roses (1989)

December 8, 1989 (US) • Comedy, Drama • 116m

Overview

Barbara and Oliver Rose live happily as a married couple. When Barbara starts to wonder what life would be like without Oliver and likes what she sees, the two begin a campaign to force each other to leave their house, with their divorce lawyer D'Amato caught in the middle.

Director

Danny DeVito

Writers

Warren Adler, Michael J. Leeson

Top Billed

Michael Douglas

Keywords

marriage romance love-hate relationship lawyer divorce argument divorce lawyer hostile reminiscent excited

Where to watch

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Top Billed 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

Michael Adler

Dr. Hillerman

Lisa Howard

Nurse

Jeff Thomas

Orderly

Jacqueline Cassell

Gavin's Secretary

Vickilyn Reynolds

Nancy

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

Popeye

Benny

Tyler

Kitty Kitty

Roy Brocksmith

Mr. Fisk

Peter Hansen

Mr. Marshall

Robert Harper

Heath

Prince Hughes

Bleeding Man

Danitra Vance

Manicurist Trainee

David Wohl

Dr. Gordon

Raye Birk

Auctioneer (uncredited)

Robin Blake

Dinner Party Guest (uncredited)

Marilyn Brandt

Woman at Law Firm (uncredited)

Norman Brenner

Mourner (uncredited)

Bob Courts

Dinner Party Guest (uncredited)

Gene Cross

Auction Bidder (uncredited)

Hal Donahue

Gentlemen's Club Patron (uncredited)

Peter Eastman

Lawyer in Waiting Area (uncredited)

Berl Erdahl

Gentlemen's Club Patron (uncredited)

Fritz Hess

Christmas Caroler (uncredited)

Virginia Kennedy

Christmas Caroler (uncredited)

Al Kroft

Gentlemen's Club Patron (uncredited)

Tom Myer

Gentlemen's Club Waiter (uncredited)

Ken Norton

Gentlemen's Club Patron (uncredited)

Crew

Stephen H. Burum

Director of Photography

Arnon Milchan

Producer

Warren Adler

Novel

Danny DeVito

Director

James L. Brooks

Producer

Michael J. Leeson

Screenplay

Lynzee Klingman

Editor

David Newman

Original Music Composer

David Rubin

Casting

Michael J. Leeson

Co-Producer

Gloria Gresham

Costume Design

Ida Random

Production Design

Anne D. McCulley

Set Decoration

Robert Latham Brown

Unit Production Manager

Nicholas C. Smith

Additional Editing

Jeffrey M. Ellis

Second Assistant Director

Mark Fabus

Set Designer

Thomas Lofaro

First Assistant Director

Richard Sakai

Executive In Charge Of Production

Stan Tropp

Set Designer

Polly Platt

Executive Producer

Doug Claybourne

Executive Producer

Leslie Shatz

Supervising Sound Editor

Mark W. Mansbridge

Art Direction

John M. Elliott Jr.

Makeup Artist

Debra Zane

Casting Assistant

Clyde Hart

Key Grip

Chuck Eskridge

Set Painter

François Duhamel

Still Photographer

John Ganem

Assistant Editor

Alex Skvorzov

Gaffer

Errol Reichow

Assistant Location Manager

Paul Rylander

Assistant Property Master

Kathryn Blondell

Key Hair Stylist

Dustin Blauvelt

Camera Operator

Alan S. Blauvelt

First Assistant Camera

Lisa Beach

Casting Assistant

Jeff Wexler

Sound Mixer

Mary Courtney

Production Coordinator

Bob Apger

Second Assistant Camera

Don Coufal

Boom Operator

Richard L. Hill

Special Effects Technician

Richard Drown

Stunts

Sammy Thurman

Stunts

Douglas Greenfield

Dolby Consultant

Wilma Garscadden-Gahret

Script Supervisor

John Frazier

Special Effects Supervisor

Elliott Koretz

Dialogue Editor

Frederick 'Skip' Wilson

Transportation Captain

Chuck Michael

Foley Editor

Sarah Goldsmith

Dialogue Editor

Marcia Holley

Stunts

Marian Wilde

Foley Supervisor

Patricia M. Peters

Stunts

James C. Taylor

Transportation Coordinator

Michael Magill

Dialogue Editor

Francis Pennington

Special Effects Technician

Ken Bellanca

Transportation Co-Captain

Reid Burns

Color Timer

Rocky Gehr

Special Effects Technician

Chuck Picerni Jr.

Stunts

John Duvall

Foley Editor

Bill W. Benton

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Tracy Keehn-Dashnaw

Stunts

Scott Wilder

Stunts

Tom Villano

Music Editor

Tim Boyle

Scoring Mixer

Gary Gegan

Foley Mixer

Jennifer L. Ware

Assistant Sound Editor

Mary Ann Skweres

Assistant Sound Editor

Gary Burritt

Negative Cutter

Michael J. Kohut

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Leslie Shatz

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Matthew Iadarola

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Rachel Shaw

First Assistant Sound Editor

Jeanine Schaack

Apprentice Sound Editor

Valerie Davidson

Assistant Sound Editor

Laura Graham

Assistant Sound Editor

Renée Tondelli

Assistant Sound Editor

Jon H. Epstein

Stunts

M. James Arnett

Stunts

Michael Runyard

Stunt Coordinator

Janet Brady

Stunts

Cris Thomas-Palomino

Stunts

Reviews

kevin2019

⭐ 10/10

May 16, 2025

"The War of the Roses" is an uncompromising film based upon the eternally topical subject of divorce. It fits neatly into the same category as "When Harry Met Sally..." (1989), but where that yawn fest ruminated upon the boring notion that a man can never be just good friends with an attractive woman without sex becoming an inevitable issue and getting in the way of a beautiful friendship this film ponders the notion is there any such thing as an… read the rest.