The War of the Roses (1989) — Read, Study & Download the Screenplay
A Match Made in Heaven. A Divorce Made in Hell.
In The War of the Roses (1989), Michael Leeson and Danny DeVito turn marital bliss into a demolition derby of ego and entitlement. Beneath the slapstick and shattered chandeliers lies a scathing portrait of love curdled by pride. This is more than a breakup — it’s a battle for identity, dignity, and the last word. For screenwriters, it’s a wickedly precise study in tone, escalation, and character-driven chaos.
Let's dive into the 2nd draft screenplay of The War of the Roses. Courtesy of 8FLiX and Twentieth Century Studios.
The War of the Roses (1989) — Educator Resources & Study Guide
’Til Debt Do Us Part.
Written by Michael Leeson and directed by Danny DeVito, The War of the Roses is a darkly comic dissection of love turned lethal. What begins as a portrait of success and domestic perfection devolves into one of cinema’s most infamous marital meltdowns. Beneath the absurdist chaos lies a sharp meditation on ego, pride, and the cost of refusing to yield. Leeson’s screenplay transforms divorce into a Greek tragedy wrapped in slapstick -- a cautionary tale of what happens when affection curdles into obsession.
The War of the Roses (1989) — Classroom Study
The War of the Roses isn’t just a marital meltdown in surround sound -- it’s a razor-sharp study in tone control, character arcs, and genre fusion. Leeson and DeVito take what could’ve been a courtroom drama or a domestic tragedy and spin it into a moral fable wrapped in absurdist comedy.
- Escalate conflict through visual comedy and emotional stakes
- Balance satire with sincerity
- Write two protagonists with equal weight and blame
- Sustain audience engagement in a story with no traditional hero
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The War of the Roses (1989)
A married couple tries everything to drive each other out of the house in a vicious divorce battle.
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