#1 of 4 #1 crime movie of December 1973
1973 · Drama, Comedy
$156M worldwide · 56% of the chart's total
$156M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Crime box office · December 1973
Crime Box Office, December 1973: Top-Grossing Releases
The Sting (1973) is the highest-grossing crime movie released in December 1973, with $156M worldwide, ahead of Papillon (1973) at $53.3M and Magnum Force (1973) at $39.8M. 4 crime films released in December 1973 report a worldwide gross, $278.9M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion.
- December 1973 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $278.9M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Crime Hits of December 1973?
The Sting (1973) leads with $156M, 56% of the total. The top 4 together took $278.9M, 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 Crime Release of December 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 December 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
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1973?
Of the top 4, The Sting (1973) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Serpico (1973) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $278.8M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 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%
By release week
Which Week of December 1973 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 52 (Dec 23–29) took $195.8M, led by The Sting (1973). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 48 Wk 48 Nov 25–Dec 1 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 49 Wk 49 Dec 2–8 Serpico (1973) $29.9M Serpico (1973)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 9–15 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 16–22 Papillon (1973) $53.3M Papillon (1973)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 23–29 The Sting (1973) $195.8M The Sting (1973)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 30–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1973 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1973 earned the most: $278.9M from 4 films, led by The Sting (1973).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1964 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1965 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1966 1 film | 1 | $95.3K | – | Made in U.S.A (1966) $95.3K |
| December 1967 1 film · −100% | 1 | $316 | −100% | In Cold Blood (1967) $316 |
| December 1968 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1969 1 film | 1 | $83.3K | – | Z (1969) $83.3K |
| December 1970 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1971 3 films | 3 | $73.6M | – | Dirty Harry (1971) $36M |
| December 1972 1 film · −100% | 1 | $9.6K | −100% | The Getaway (1972) $9.6K |
| December 1973 4 films · +2908671% | 4 | $278.9M | +2908671% | The Sting (1973) $156M |
Archive
Crime Box Office in 1973, Month by Month
The months of 1973 with their totals: December leads with $278.9M, led by The Sting (1973).
- January No grosses
- February $15.3K #1 The Harder They Come (1973)
- March $24.2K #1 The Long Goodbye (1973)
- April No grosses
- May $1.3K #1 Paper Moon (1973)
- June $535 #1 The Last of Sheila (1973)
- July $2.3M #1 The Day of the Jackal (1973)
- August $118.9K #1 Enter the Dragon (1973)
- September $194 #1 Charley Varrick (1973)
- October $116.1K #1 Mean Streets (1973)
- November No grosses
- December $278.9M #1 The Sting (1973)
FAQ
Crime Box Office December 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 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing crime movie in December 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 December 1973 earn?
4 crime films released in December 1973 report a worldwide gross, $278.9M in all, or $69.7M per film on average.
How many crime movies released in December 1973 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by The Sting (1973) with $156M.
How is the December 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 December 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 December 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.