Miles Massey, a prominent Los Angeles divorce attorney has everything--and in some cases, two of everything. Despite his impressive client list, a formidable win record, the respect of his peers and an ironclad contract (the Massey pre-nup) named after him, he's reached a crossroads in his life. Sated on success, boredom has set in and he's looking for new challenges. All that changes when Miles meets his match in the devastating Marylin Rexroth. Marylin is the soon-to-be ex-wife of his client Rex Rexroth, a wealthy real estate developer and habitual philanderer. With the help of hard charging private investigator Gus Petch, she has Rex nailed and is looking forward to the financial independence a successful divorce will bring. But thanks to Miles' considerable skills, she ends up with nothing. Not to be outdone, Marylin schemes to get even and as part of her plan, quickly marries oil tycoon Howard Doyle. Miles and his unflappable associate, Wrigley, unwittingly dig themselves in deeper and deeper as they go head-to-head with Marylin. Underhanded tactics, deceptions and an undeniable attraction escalate as Marylin and Miles square off in this classic battle of the sexes.

Production Budget Analysis

What was the production budget for Intolerable Cruelty?

Directed by Joel Coen, with George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Geoffrey Rush leading the cast, Intolerable Cruelty was produced by Universal Pictures with a confirmed budget of $60,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget category for comedy films.

With a $60,000,000 budget, Intolerable Cruelty sits in the mid-range of studio releases. Marketing costs for a wide release at this level typically add $30–60 million, putting the break-even point near $150,000,000.

Budget Comparison — Similar Productions

• 15 Minutes (2001): Budget $60,000,000 | Gross $56,359,980 → ROI: -6% • Almost Famous (2000): Budget $60,000,000 | Gross $47,386,287 → ROI: -21% • Analyze That (2002): Budget $60,000,000 | Gross $55,003,135 → ROI: -8% • Antz (1998): Budget $60,000,000 | Gross $171,757,863 → ROI: 186% • Cats & Dogs (2001): Budget $60,000,000 | Gross $200,687,492 → ROI: 234%

Key Budget Allocation Categories

▸ Talent Salaries & Producing Deals Established comedic talent can command $15–20 million per film, with top-tier stars earning even more through producing credits and backend deals. Comedy ensembles multiply this cost across several well-known performers.

▸ Production & Location Filming While comedies generally avoid the VFX costs of action films, location shooting in recognizable cities or exotic locales adds meaningful production expense.

▸ Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising) Comedies rely heavily on marketing to build opening-weekend momentum. Studios typically spend 50–100% of the production budget on marketing, with comedy trailers and social media campaigns being particularly expensive.

Key Production Personnel

CAST: George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Geoffrey Rush, Cedric the Entertainer, Edward Herrmann Key roles: George Clooney as Miles; Catherine Zeta-Jones as Marilyn; Geoffrey Rush as Donovan Donaly; Cedric the Entertainer as Gus Petch

DIRECTOR: Joel Coen CINEMATOGRAPHY: Roger Deakins MUSIC: Carter Burwell EDITING: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen PRODUCTION: Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, Alphaville Films, Mike Zoss Productions FILMED IN: United States of America

Box Office Performance

Intolerable Cruelty earned $35,327,628 domestically and $84,613,187 internationally, for a worldwide total of $119,940,815. International markets drove the majority of revenue (71%), indicating strong global appeal.

Break-Even Analysis

Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), Intolerable Cruelty needed approximately $150,000,000 to break even. The film fell $30,059,185 short in theatrical revenue. Ancillary streams (home media, streaming, TV) may have bridged the gap.

Return on Investment (ROI)

Revenue: $119,940,815 Budget: $60,000,000 Net: $59,940,815 ROI: 99.9%

Profitability Assessment

VERDICT: Modestly Profitable

Intolerable Cruelty earned $119,940,815 against a $60,000,000 budget (100% ROI). Full profitability was likely achieved through ancillary revenue streams.