#1 of 4 #1 comedy movie of May 1979
1979 · Comedy
$20.4M worldwide · 93% of the chart's total
$20.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Comedy box office · May 1979
Comedy Box Office, May 1979: Top-Grossing Releases
La Cage aux Folles (1979) is the highest-grossing comedy movie released in May 1979, with $20.4M worldwide, ahead of Winter Kills (1979) at $1.2M and Fast Charlie… the Moonbeam Rider (1979) at $444.3K. 4 comedy films released in May 1979 report a worldwide gross, $22M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada.
- May 1979 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $22M
- La Cage aux Folles (1979), the #1
- $20.4M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Comedy Hits of May 1979?
La Cage aux Folles (1979) leads with $20.4M, 93% of the total. The top 4 together took $22M, almost all of what the 4 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Comedy Release of May 1979, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in May 1979.
- 1 May 13, 1979 US and Canada: $20.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.4M
- 2 May 11, 1979 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: $462 Worldwide: $1.2M
- 3 May 1, 1979 US and Canada: $444.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $444.3K
- 4 May 9, 1979 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $923
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1979?
Of the top 4, La Cage aux Folles (1979) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Winter Kills (1979) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $22M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 4 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 La Cage aux Folles (1979) $20.4M $20.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Winter Kills (1979) $1.2M $1.2M US & Canada · 100% $462 elsewhere · <1%
- 3 Fast Charlie… the Moonbeam Rider (1979) $444.3K $444.3K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Jubilee (1979) $923 No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of May 1979 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 20 (May 13–19) took $20.4M, led by La Cage aux Folles (1979). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 29–May 5 Fast Charlie… the Moonbeam Rider (1979) $444.3K Fast Charlie… the Moonbeam Rider (1979)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 6–12 Winter Kills (1979) $1.2M Winter Kills (1979)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 13–19 La Cage aux Folles (1979) $20.4M La Cage aux Folles (1979)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 20–26 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 27–Jun 2 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1979 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1977 earned the most: $127.6M from 4 films, led by Smokey and the Bandit (1977). May 1979 took $22M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1970 1 film | 1 | $13.3M | – | Getting Straight (1970) $13.3M |
| May 1971 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1972 1 film | 1 | $15.4K | – | Play It Again, Sam (1972) $15.4K |
| May 1973 2 films · −93% | 2 | $1.1K | −93% | Paper Moon (1973) $591 |
| May 1974 2 films · +1977236% | 2 | $21.8M | +1977236% | Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) $21.7M |
| May 1975 2 films · +92% | 2 | $41.8M | +92% | The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) $41.8M |
| May 1976 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1977 4 films | 4 | $127.6M | – | Smokey and the Bandit (1977) $126.8M |
| May 1978 2 films · −65% | 2 | $44.9M | −65% | The End (1978) $44.9M |
| May 1979 4 films · −51% | 4 | $22M | −51% | La Cage aux Folles (1979) $20.4M |
Archive
Comedy Box Office in 1979, Month by Month
The months of 1979 with their totals: December leads with $298.3M, led by 1941 (1979).
- January $509 #1 Love on the Run (1979)
- February No grosses
- March $55.9M #1 Manhattan (1979)
- April $44M #1 Love at First Bite (1979)
- May $22M #1 La Cage aux Folles (1979)
- June $178.4M #1 The Muppet Movie (1979)
- July $25.8M #1 Breaking Away (1979)
- August $80.1M #1 North Dallas Forty (1979)
- September $684K #1 A Man, a Woman and a Bank (1979)
- October $110.5M #1 10 (1979)
- November $8.3M #1 The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979)
- December $298.3M #1 1941 (1979)
FAQ
Comedy Box Office May 1979: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing comedy movie in May 1979?
La Cage aux Folles (1979) leads with $20.4M worldwide, $20.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Winter Kills (1979) at $1.2M and Fast Charlie… the Moonbeam Rider (1979) at $444.3K.
How much did comedy movies released in May 1979 earn?
4 comedy films released in May 1979 report a worldwide gross, $22M in all, or $5.5M per film on average.
How many comedy movies released in May 1979 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, La Cage aux Folles (1979), earned $20.4M.
How is the May 1979 comedy box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in May 1979. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact.
How often is the May 1979 comedy box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.