The Subject Was Roses (film)

The Subject Was Roses
Original poster
Directed byUlu Grosbard
Written byFrank D. Gilroy
Based onThe Subject Was Roses
1964 play
by Frank D. Gilroy
Produced byEdgar Lansbury
StarringPatricia Neal
Jack Albertson
Martin Sheen
CinematographyJack Priestley
Edited byGerald B. Greenberg
Music byLee Pockriss
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • October 13, 1968 (1968-10-13)
Running time
107 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1,375,000 (US/ Canada rentals)

The Subject Was Roses is a 1968 American Metrocolor drama film directed by Ulu Grosbard. The screenplay by Frank D. Gilroy is based on his 1964 Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same title. The film stars Patricia Neal, Martin Sheen and Jack Albertson, the latter reprising his role from the original play. The film follows a World War II veteran (Sheen) who returns home to the Bronx and soon becomes disillusioned to find his parents' (Neal and Albertson) marriage filled with discord, quarreling, and recriminations.

The film was released to unanimous praise, remaining one of few films with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and various accolades. Neal and Albertson received nominations for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor at the 41st Academy Awards, with Albertson winning his nomination; Sheen was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 26th Golden Globe Awards. It was also selected as part of the National Board of Review's top 10 films of the year