#1 of 4 #1 comedy movie of May 1981
1981 · Romance, Drama
$50.4M worldwide · 62% of the chart's total
$50.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Comedy box office · May 1981
Comedy Box Office, May 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
The Four Seasons (1981) is the highest-grossing comedy movie released in May 1981, with $50.4M worldwide, ahead of Bustin’ Loose (1981) at $31.3M and Second-Hand Hearts (1981) at $19.5K. 4 comedy films released in May 1981 report a worldwide gross, $81.7M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 76% on April 1981, whose releases took $46.3M.
- May 1981 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $81.7M
- The Four Seasons (1981), the #1
- $50.4M
- vs April 1981
- +76%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Comedy Hits of May 1981?
The Four Seasons (1981) leads with $50.4M, 62% of the total. The top 4 together took $81.7M, 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 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 May 1981.
- 1 May 22, 1981 US and Canada: $50.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $50.4M
- 2 May 22, 1981 US and Canada: $31.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.3M
- 3 May 8, 1981 US and Canada: $19.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.5K
- 4 May 29, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.1K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1981?
Of the top 4, The Four Seasons (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Second-Hand Hearts (1981) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $81.7M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 4 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Four Seasons (1981) $50.4M $50.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Bustin’ Loose (1981) $31.3M $31.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Second-Hand Hearts (1981) $19.5K $19.5K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Polyester (1981) $5.1K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of May 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 17–23) took $81.7M, led by The Four Seasons (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 26–May 2 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 3–9 Second-Hand Hearts (1981) $19.5K Second-Hand Hearts (1981)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 10–16 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 17–23 The Four Seasons (1981) $81.7M The Four Seasons (1981)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 24–30 Polyester (1981) $5.1K Polyester (1981)
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 31–Jun 6 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1981 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 1981 took $81.7M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| May 1980 5 films · +6% | 5 | $23.3M | +6% | The Nude Bomb (1980) $14.7M |
| May 1981 4 films · +250% | 4 | $81.7M | +250% | The Four Seasons (1981) $50.4M |
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 May 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 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing comedy movie in May 1981?
The Four Seasons (1981) leads with $50.4M worldwide, $50.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Bustin’ Loose (1981) at $31.3M and Second-Hand Hearts (1981) at $19.5K.
How much did comedy movies released in May 1981 earn?
4 comedy films released in May 1981 report a worldwide gross, $81.7M in all, or $20.4M per film on average. April 1981 releases took $46.3M.
How many comedy movies released in May 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Four Seasons (1981), earned $50.4M.
How is the May 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 May 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 May 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.