#1 of 6 #1 comedy movie of March 1981
The Devil and Max Devlin (1981)
1981 · Comedy, Fantasy
$16M worldwide · 46% of the chart's total
$16M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Comedy box office · March 1981
Comedy Box Office, March 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
The Devil and Max Devlin (1981) is the highest-grossing comedy movie released in March 1981, with $16M worldwide, ahead of Back Roads (1981) at $11.8M and All Night Long (1981) at $4.5M. 6 comedy films released in March 1981 report a worldwide gross, $35.2M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. By language, English leads with $35.2M across 5 comedy releases.
- March 1981 releases with a gross
- 6
- combined worldwide
- $35.2M
- The Devil and Max Devlin (1981), the #1
- $16M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 6 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Comedy Hits of March 1981?
The Devil and Max Devlin (1981) leads with $16M, 46% of the total. The top 5 together took $35.2M, almost all of what the 6 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 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Comedy Release of March 1981, 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 March 1981.
- 1 Mar 6, 1981 US and Canada: $16M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16M
- 2 Mar 13, 1981 US and Canada: $11.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.8M
- 3 Mar 6, 1981 US and Canada: $4.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.5M
- 4 Mar 13, 1981 US and Canada: $2.9M Rest of the world: $582 Worldwide: $2.9M
- 5 Mar 6, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $31.2K
- 6
Mar 4, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $923
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in March 1981?
Of the top 6, The Devil and Max Devlin (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Modern Romance (1981) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 6 films, $35.1M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 2 films of the top 6 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Devil and Max Devlin (1981) $16M $16M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Back Roads (1981) $11.8M $11.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 All Night Long (1981) $4.5M $4.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Modern Romance (1981) $2.9M $2.9M US & Canada · 100% $582 elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Permanent Vacation (1981) $31.2K No US & Canada figure reported
- 6 The Aviator’s Wife (1981) $923 No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of March 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 10 (Mar 1–7) took $20.5M, led by The Devil and Max Devlin (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 10 Wk 10 Mar 1–7 The Devil and Max Devlin (1981) $20.5M The Devil and Max Devlin (1981)
- Week 11 Wk 11 Mar 8–14 Back Roads (1981) $14.7M Back Roads (1981)
- Week 12 Wk 12 Mar 15–21 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 13 Wk 13 Mar 22–28 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 14 Wk 14 Mar 29–Apr 4 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does March 1981 Compare With March in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, March 1979 earned the most: $55.9M from 3 films, led by Manhattan (1979). March 1981 took $35.2M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1972 4 films | 4 | $895.6K | – | Bombay to Goa (1972) $886.7K |
| March 1973 2 films · −97% | 2 | $24.5K | −97% | The Long Goodbye (1973) $24.2K |
| March 1974 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| March 1975 2 films | 2 | $49.5M | – | Shampoo (1975) $49.4M |
| March 1976 1 film · −100% | 1 | $38.8K | −100% | Small Change (1976) $38.8K |
| March 1977 1 film · +2064% | 1 | $839.9K | +2064% | Joseph Andrews (1977) $839.9K |
| March 1978 2 films · +3446% | 2 | $29.8M | +3446% | House Calls (1978) $28.5M |
| March 1979 3 films · +88% | 3 | $55.9M | +88% | Manhattan (1979) $40.2M |
| March 1980 6 films · −1% | 6 | $55.3M | −1% | Little Darlings (1980) $34.3M |
| March 1981 6 films · −36% | 6 | $35.2M | −36% | The Devil and Max Devlin (1981) $16M |
Archive
Comedy Box Office in 1981, Month by Month
The months of 1981 with their totals: June leads with $220.4M, led by Stripes (1981).
- January $20.3M #1 The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981)
- February No grosses
- March $35.2M #1 The Devil and Max Devlin (1981)
- April $46.3M #1 Take This Job and Shove It (1981)
- May $81.7M #1 The Four Seasons (1981)
- June $220.4M #1 Stripes (1981)
- July $132M #1 Arthur (1981)
- August $55.5M #1 Private Lessons (1981)
- September $41.1M #1 Only When I Laugh (1981)
- October $19M #1 Paternity (1981)
- November $42.4M #1 Time Bandits (1981)
- December $58.5M #1 Neighbors (1981)
FAQ
Comedy Box Office March 1981: 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 6 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing comedy movie in March 1981?
The Devil and Max Devlin (1981) leads with $16M worldwide, $16M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Back Roads (1981) at $11.8M and All Night Long (1981) at $4.5M.
How much did comedy movies released in March 1981 earn?
6 comedy films released in March 1981 report a worldwide gross, $35.2M in all, or $5.9M per film on average.
How many comedy movies released in March 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Devil and Max Devlin (1981), earned $16M.
How is the March 1981 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 March 1981. 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 March 1981 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.