#1 of 11 #1 crime movie of 1971
1971 · Action, Crime
$51.7M worldwide · 37% of the chart's total
$51.7M US & Canada · 100% $8.9K elsewhere · <1%
Crime box office · 1971
Crime Box Office 1971: Highest-Grossing Crime Movies
The French Connection (1971) is the highest-grossing crime movie released in 1971, with $51.7M worldwide, ahead of Dirty Harry (1971) at $36M and A Clockwork Orange (1971) at $27M. 11 crime films released in 1971 report a worldwide gross, $140.3M in all, 92% of it from the US & Canada. That is 6.9 times the total of 1970, whose releases took $20.4M. By language, English leads with $117.3M across 7 crime releases.
- 1971 releases with a gross
- 11
- combined worldwide
- $140.3M
- The French Connection (1971), the #1
- $51.7M
- vs 1970
- ×6.9
#1 of 11 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Crime Hits of 1971?
The French Connection (1971) leads with $51.7M, 37% of the total. The top 5 together took $137.7M, 98% of what all 11 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 Crime Release of 1971, 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 1971.
- 1 Oct 7, 1971 US and Canada: $51.7M Rest of the world: $8.9K Worldwide: $51.7M
- 2 Dec 23, 1971 US and Canada: $36M Rest of the world: $1.7K Worldwide: $36M
- 3 Dec 20, 1971 US and Canada: $26.6M Rest of the world: $416.6K Worldwide: $27M
- 4 Mar 13, 1971 US and Canada: $12.4M Rest of the world: $519 Worldwide: $12.4M
- 5 Dec 13, 1971 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $10.6M
- 6
Mar 11, 1971 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.4M - 7
Mar 18, 1971 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $60.4K - 8
Feb 17, 1971 US and Canada: $40.5K Rest of the world: $312 Worldwide: $40.8K - 9
Jun 25, 1971 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $34.7K - 10
Apr 1, 1971 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $6.1K - 11
Apr 7, 1971 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $34
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1971?
Of the top 10, THX 1138 (1971) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while A Clockwork Orange (1971) made 2% of its gross abroad. Across all 11 films, $129.2M (92%) came from the US & Canada. 4 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The French Connection (1971) $51.7M $51.7M US & Canada · 100% $8.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Dirty Harry (1971) $36M $36M US & Canada · 100% $1.7K elsewhere · <1%
- 3 A Clockwork Orange (1971) $27M $26.6M US & Canada · 98% $416.6K elsewhere · 2%
- 4 Vanishing Point (1971) $12.4M $12.4M US & Canada · 100% $519 elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Gentlemen of Fortune (1971) $10.6M No US & Canada figure reported
- 6 THX 1138 (1971) $2.4M $2.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Get Carter (1971) $60.4K No US & Canada figure reported
- 8 Max and the Junkmen (1971) $40.8K $40.5K US & Canada · 99% $312 elsewhere · <1%
- 9 Klute (1971) $34.7K No US & Canada figure reported
- 10 Woman of Fire (1971) $6.1K No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many 1971 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 11 films reached $100M. 6 films, 55% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $140.3M total.
98%
- $1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $500M to $1B 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $100M to $500M 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $10M to $100M 5 films, 45% of the list $137.7M · 98% of the gross
- Under $10M 6 films, 55% of the list $2.6M · 2% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1971 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $73.6M from 3 films, led by Dirty Harry (1971). April was the quietest month ($6.1K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb Max and the Junkmen (1971) $40.8K Max and the Junkmen (1971)
- March Mar Vanishing Point (1971) $14.9M Vanishing Point (1971)
- April Apr Woman of Fire (1971) $6.1K Woman of Fire (1971)
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- June Jun Klute (1971) $34.7K Klute (1971)
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct The French Connection (1971) $51.7M The French Connection (1971)
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec Dirty Harry (1971) $73.6M Dirty Harry (1971)
Last 10 years
How Does 1971 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1971 earned the most: $140.3M from 11 films, led by The French Connection (1971).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 7 films | 7 | $2.5M | – | Copacabana Palace (1962) $1.3M |
| 1963 2 films · +1759% | 2 | $46.4M | +1759% | It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) $46.3M |
| 1964 4 films · −77% | 4 | $10.9M | −77% | The Pink Panther (1964) $10.9M |
| 1965 1 film · −98% | 1 | $186.8K | −98% | Pierrot le Fou (1965) $186.8K |
| 1966 5 films · −23% | 5 | $143.5K | −23% | Made in U.S.A (1966) $95.3K |
| 1967 8 films · +4397% | 8 | $6.5M | +4397% | The War Wagon (1967) $6M |
| 1968 7 films · −42% | 7 | $3.7M | −42% | Coogan’s Bluff (1968) $3.1M |
| 1969 6 films · +2659% | 6 | $102.7M | +2659% | Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) $102.3M |
| 1970 8 films · −80% | 8 | $20.4M | −80% | Joe (1970) $19.3M |
| 1971 11 films · +588% | 11 | $140.3M | +588% | The French Connection (1971) $51.7M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Crime Movies Speak in 1971?
English-language crime films took $117.3M across 7 films, 84% of the total, ahead of Russian-language crime films ($10.6M) and French-language crime films ($40.8K).
Archive
Crime Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1920 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2013 leads with $6.1B, led by Despicable Me 2 (2013).
2020s 7 years · $16.4B
2010s 10 years · $37.4B
- 2019 $4.9B #1 Joker (2019)
- 2018 $3.7B #1 Skyscraper (2018)
- 2017 $3.8B #1 The Fate of the Furious (2017)
- 2016 $3.9B #1 Zootopia (2016)
- 2015 $4.1B #1 Furious 7 (2015)
- 2014 $2.1B #1 22 Jump Street (2014)
- 2013 $6.1B #1 Despicable Me 2 (2013)
- 2012 $4.9B #1 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
- 2011 $1.7B #1 Fast Five (2011)
- 2010 $2.2B #1 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2010)
2000s 10 years · $28.4B
- 2009 $3.2B #1 Sherlock Holmes (2009)
- 2008 $3.5B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $3.4B #1 Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
- 2006 $2.5B #1 The Departed (2006)
- 2005 $2.7B #1 Batman Begins (2005)
- 2004 $2.1B #1 Ocean's Twelve (2004)
- 2003 $3.1B #1 Bad Boys II (2003)
- 2002 $2.6B #1 Catch Me If You Can (2002)
- 2001 $3.3B #1 Ocean's Eleven (2001)
- 2000 $2B #1 Charlie's Angels (2000)
1990s 10 years · $19.3B
- 1999 $2.5B #1 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
- 1998 $1.7B #1 Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
- 1997 $2.1B #1 Face/Off (1997)
- 1996 $1.8B #1 Ransom (1996)
- 1995 $2.5B #1 Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
- 1994 $1.9B #1 The Mask (1994)
- 1993 $1.3B #1 The Fugitive (1993)
- 1992 $1.7B #1 Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)
- 1991 $1.7B #1 The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
- 1990 $2.1B #1 Home Alone (1990)
1980s 10 years · $6.5B
- 1989 $1.6B #1 Batman (1989)
- 1988 $1.2B #1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
- 1987 $1.1B #1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- 1986 $480.9M #1 Legal Eagles (1986)
- 1985 $257M #1 Fletch (1985)
- 1984 $664.2M #1 Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
- 1983 $344.3M #1 Sudden Impact (1983)
- 1982 $236.6M #1 48 Hrs. (1982)
- 1981 $247.4M #1 Sharky's Machine (1981)
- 1980 $373M #1 The Blues Brothers (1980)
1970s 10 years · $1.6B
- 1979 $132M #1 Escape from Alcatraz (1979)
- 1978 $151.3M #1 Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)
- 1977 $42.2M #1 The Gauntlet (1977)
- 1976 $192.9M #1 Silver Streak (1976)
- 1975 $145.7M #1 Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
- 1974 $199.1M #1 The Godfather: Part II (1974)
- 1973 $281.5M #1 The Sting (1973)
- 1972 $250.4M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- 1971 $140.3M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $20.4M #1 Joe (1970)
1960s 10 years · $174M
- 1969 $102.7M #1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- 1968 $3.7M #1 Coogan’s Bluff (1968)
- 1967 $6.5M #1 The War Wagon (1967)
- 1966 $143.5K #1 Made in U.S.A (1966)
- 1965 $186.8K #1 Pierrot le Fou (1965)
- 1964 $10.9M #1 The Pink Panther (1964)
- 1963 $46.4M #1 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
- 1962 $2.5M #1 Copacabana Palace (1962)
- 1961 $3.8K #1 Accattone (1961)
- 1960 $1M #1 Breathless (1960)
1950s 10 years · $13.7M
- 1959 $27.6K #1 The Law (1959)
- 1958 $2.7M #1 Touch of Evil (1958)
- 1957 $3.7K #1 12 Angry Men (1957)
- 1956 $76.3K #1 The Ladykillers (1956)
- 1955 $1.5M #1 Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
- 1954 $6.4M #1 An Inspector Calls (1954)
- 1953 $7.5K #1 The Big Heat (1953)
- 1952 $8.9K #1 Deadline - U.S.A. (1952)
- 1951 $1.9M #1 The Girl on the Bridge (1951)
- 1950 $994.2K #1 Shadow on the Wall (1950)
1940s 7 years · $667K
1930s 7 years · $3.3M
FAQ
Crime Box Office 1971: 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 11 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing crime movie in 1971?
The French Connection (1971) leads with $51.7M worldwide, $51.7M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Dirty Harry (1971) at $36M and A Clockwork Orange (1971) at $27M.
How much did crime movies released in 1971 earn?
11 crime films released in 1971 report a worldwide gross, $140.3M in all, or $12.8M per film on average. 1970 releases took $20.4M.
How many crime movies released in 1971 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The French Connection (1971), earned $51.7M.
How is the 1971 crime 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 1971. 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 1971 crime 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.