The War of the Roses
Gavin D'Amato (Danny DeVito), a prominent Washington DC divorce attorney, is in his office discussing a divorce case with a client (Dan Castellaneta). Noticing the man's determination to divorce his wife, Gavin decides to tell him the story of one of his clients: the Roses.
20 Years Earlier. Oliver Rose (Michael Douglas), a student at Harvard Law School, meets Barbara (Kathleen Turner) at an auction, where they bid on the same antique. Oliver chats Barbara up and they become friends. When Barbara misses her ferry home, the two end up spending the night together. Eventually the two marry and have two children.
Over the years, the Roses grow richer, and Barbara finds an old mansion whose owner has recently died, and purchases it. However, cracks seem to be forming in the family, such as the children growing up overweight because the shallow Barbara thinks that spoling them with treats is positive, and they do not get in shape until their teen years. As Oliver becomes a successful partner in his law firm, Barbara appears to grow tired of her life with Oliver, and at the same time, begins to dislike him and everything he does. As Barbara becomes more cold and distant, Oliver, for his part, cannot think what he has done to earn Barbara's contempt.
When Oliver believes he is suffering from a heart attack he actually has a (hiatal hernia), Barbara does not show any concern for his well-being or remorse. In their discussion after Oliver is released from the hospital, she admits that she'd hoped he had died. She ultimately admits that she no longer loves him and wants a divorce. Oliver accepts and suggests they try to arrange a settlement to end their marriage. But tension arises between the two in court when it becomes clear that Barbara wants the house and everything in it despite Oliver being entitled from to at least half of everything. Oliver becomes more determined than ever to keep the house when Barbara uses Oliver's supposed death will (which he had written when he believed he was going to die) to reinforce the fact that the house is all hers. Barbara initially throws Oliver out of the house, but he moves back in when he discovers a legal loophole that allows him to stay in the house while the case is pending. Barbara immediately begins plotting to remove Oliver from the picture.
Oliver contacts his lawyer, Gavin, and comes up with several ideas to get Barbara to leave, even going as far as to offer her all the furniture, antiques, and valuables in the house in exchange for letting him have it as an empty shell, but the greedy Barbara refuses, accepting nothing less than everything. Gavin eventually tells Oliver that no matter what he cannot win, and advises him to leave Barbara, move out of the house for good, and find a new life with his own fortune. But as a result, Oliver fires Gavin and takes matters into his own hands, refusing to let Barbara destroy him.
Over the next few weeks, Oliver and Barbara begin spiting and humiliating each other in every way possible, even in front of friends and potential business clients. Both begin destroying the house furnishings; the stove, furniture, Staffordshire ornaments, and plateware. Oliver accidentally runs Barbara's cat over in the driveway. Despite the fact that it was clearly an accident, she nails the sauna door (where Oliver had been relaxing) shut until he nearly succumbs to heatstroke and dehydration.
Some months later, while the kids are away at college, Oliver eventually calms down and attempts to speak with Barbara in a civilized manner over an elegant dinner, but reaches his breaking point when Barbara serves him a pat which she implies was made from his beloved dog (although the dog is alive and well outside). Oliver angrily attacks Barbara, who flees into the attic to hide. Oliver boards up the house to prevent Barbara from escaping, while Barbara loosens the chandelier to drop on Oliver in order to kill him. Their housekeeper, Susan, sees this and discreetly contacts Gavin for help. But by the time Gavin arrives, Oliver and Barbara's quarrel has culminated in the two hanging dangerously from the insecure chandelier, over the solid marble floor of their foyer; a fall that would kill them both. While they are trapped on the chandlier, Oliver admits to Barbara that despite their hardships, he always loved her, but Barbara does not respond. Before Gavin can come inside with a ladder, the chandelier snaps and falls to the floor, and Oliver and Barbara are killed. With his final breath, Oliver reaches his hand out to Barbara's shoulder, and Barbara uses her last strength to hit Oliver's hand away, revealing that she truly did not love him anymore and she indeed wanted him dead.
Finishing his story, Gavin presents his client with two options: either proceed with the divorce and face a horrific bloodbath in court, or go home to his wife to settle their differences properly. The client chooses the latter, and Gavin, satisfied, packs up his office to go home to his own family.