#1 of 16 #1 crime movie of 1973
1973 · Drama, Comedy
$156M worldwide · 55% of the chart's total
$156M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Crime box office · 1973
Crime Box Office 1973: Highest-Grossing Crime Movies
The Sting (1973) is the highest-grossing crime movie released in 1973, with $156M worldwide, ahead of Papillon (1973) at $53.3M and Magnum Force (1973) at $39.8M. 16 crime films released in 1973 report a worldwide gross, $281.5M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 12% on 1972, whose releases took $250.4M. By language, English leads with $281.4M across 14 crime releases.
- 1973 releases with a gross
- 16
- combined worldwide
- $281.5M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs 1972
- +12%
#1 of 16 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Crime Hits of 1973?
The Sting (1973) leads with $156M, 55% of the total. The top 5 together took $281.2M, almost all of what the 16 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 1973, 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 1973.
- 1 Dec 25, 1973 US and Canada: $156M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $156M
- 2 Dec 16, 1973 US and Canada: $53.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $53.3M
- 3 Dec 25, 1973 US and Canada: $39.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $39.8M
- 4 Dec 5, 1973 US and Canada: $29.8M Rest of the world: $57.9K Worldwide: $29.9M
- 5 Jul 30, 1973 US and Canada: $2.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.3M
- 6
Aug 19, 1973 US and Canada: $25.3K Rest of the world: $90.5K Worldwide: $115.8K - 7
Oct 14, 1973 US and Canada: $32.6K Rest of the world: $29K Worldwide: $61.7K - 8
Oct 15, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $54.4K - 9
Mar 7, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $24.2K - 10
Feb 8, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $15.3K - 11
Aug 1, 1973 US and Canada: $3.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.2K - 12
May 9, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $591 - 13
Jun 14, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $535 - 14
May 1, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $469 - 15
May 9, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $210 - 16
Sep 19, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $194
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1973?
Of the top 10, The Sting (1973) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Enter the Dragon (1973) made 78% of its gross abroad. Across all 16 films, $281.2M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 3 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Sting (1973) $156M $156M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Papillon (1973) $53.3M $53.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Magnum Force (1973) $39.8M $39.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Serpico (1973) $29.9M $29.8M US & Canada · 100% $57.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 5 The Day of the Jackal (1973) $2.3M $2.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Enter the Dragon (1973) $115.8K $25.3K US & Canada · 22% $90.5K elsewhere · 78%
- 7 Mean Streets (1973) $61.7K $32.6K US & Canada · 53% $29K elsewhere · 47%
- 8 Badlands (1973) $54.4K No US & Canada figure reported
- 9 The Long Goodbye (1973) $24.2K No US & Canada figure reported
- 10 The Harder They Come (1973) $15.3K No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many 1973 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 16 films crossed $100M and took $156M between them, 55% of the total. 12 films, 75% of the list, earned under $10M.
55% 44%
- $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 1 film, 6% of the list $156M · 55% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 3 films, 19% of the list $122.9M · 44% of the gross
- Under $10M 12 films, 75% of the list $2.6M · <1% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1973 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $278.9M from 4 films, led by The Sting (1973). September was the quietest month ($194). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb The Harder They Come (1973) $15.3K The Harder They Come (1973)
- March Mar The Long Goodbye (1973) $24.2K The Long Goodbye (1973)
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May Paper Moon (1973) $1.3K Paper Moon (1973)
- June Jun The Last of Sheila (1973) $535 The Last of Sheila (1973)
- July Jul The Day of the Jackal (1973) $2.3M The Day of the Jackal (1973)
- August Aug Enter the Dragon (1973) $118.9K Enter the Dragon (1973)
- September Sep Charley Varrick (1973) $194 Charley Varrick (1973)
- October Oct Mean Streets (1973) $116.1K Mean Streets (1973)
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec The Sting (1973) $278.9M The Sting (1973)
Last 10 years
How Does 1973 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1973 earned the most: $281.5M from 16 films, led by The Sting (1973).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 4 films | 4 | $10.9M | – | 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 |
| 1972 5 films · +78% | 5 | $250.4M | +78% | The Godfather (1972) $250.3M |
| 1973 16 films · +12% | 16 | $281.5M | +12% | The Sting (1973) $156M |
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 1973: 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 16 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing crime movie in 1973?
The Sting (1973) leads with $156M worldwide, $156M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Papillon (1973) at $53.3M and Magnum Force (1973) at $39.8M.
How much did crime movies released in 1973 earn?
16 crime films released in 1973 report a worldwide gross, $281.5M in all, or $17.6M per film on average. 1972 releases took $250.4M.
How many crime movies released in 1973 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by The Sting (1973) with $156M.
How is the 1973 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 1973. 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 1973 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.