The War of the Roses, starring Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas, centers around a couple who after many years deeply in love, one day discover that their love has gone, and this indifference, through a bitter divorce proceeding, turns to hate which eventually ends up fatal for both of them. The black comedy is framed through the efforts of the Roses’ divorce attorney, portrayed by Danny DiVito, attempting to mediate a new divorce proceeding by telling the story of what happened to the Roses.
The film is a classic of the black comedy genre, but it is also eerily prophetic—more and more couples today are finding that after a particularly bitter divorce, they fear for their own safety and lives, as was the tragic case of Sam and Amy Friedlander.
The Friedlanders, involved in a bitter divorce battle, found themselves attempting to cohabitate during the process when they were unable to quickly sell their house. The situation eventually turned deadly, with Sam murdering his wife and children before committing suicide. The tragedy mirrors that of the film almost too closely; it’s difficult to imagine how love can turn to murderous hate so easily. The truth is, a qualified and competent Colorado divorce attorney can help in these kinds of issues, which often stem from concerns about loss of child custody rights or property rights.
Just because someone moves out, they are not less responsible, nor do they forfeit their rights to their share in the settlement, including parental custody rights. A good divorce attorney will hammer out a fair agreement regardless of who has moved out. Still, it’s always a good idea to speak to your attorney before making any kind of decision like this—moving out is not always the best option, but it’s certainly not a foregone conclusion that you have to put your life in danger by staying put.
