Top Grossing Crime Movies in 1981
| Rank | Title | Language | Domestic | Worldwide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sharky's Machine |  EN | $35,610,100 | $35,610,100 |
| 2 | The Great Muppet Caper | EN | $31,206,251 | $31,206,251 |
| 3 | Fort Apache the Bronx | EN | $29,200,000 | $29,200,000 |
| 4 | Body Heat | EN | $24,058,838 | $24,058,838 |
| 5 | Nighthawks | EN | $14,905,359 | $19,905,359 |
| 6 | Outland | EN | $17,374,595 | $17,374,595 |
| 7 | True Confessions | EN | $12,850,276 | $12,850,276 |
| 8 | Atlantic City | EN | $12,729,675 | $12,729,675 |
| 9 | The Postman Always Rings Twice | EN | $12,376,625 | $12,383,416 |
| 10 | Thief | EN | $11,492,915 | $11,495,509 |
| 11 | Prince of the City | EN | $8,124,257 | $8,124,257 |
| 12 | Buddy Buddy | EN | $7,258,543 | $7,258,543 |
| 13 | The Amateur | EN | $6,892,098 | $6,892,098 |
| 14 | Eyewitness | EN | $6,400,000 | $6,400,000 |
| 15 | Going Ape! | EN | $5,504,218 | $5,504,218 |
| 16 | The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper | EN | $3,702,028 | $3,702,028 |
| 17 | Cutter's Way | EN | $1,729,274 | $1,752,634 |
| 18 | Lonely Heart |  JP | $777,087 | $777,087 |
| 19 | Diva |  FR | $183,425 | $183,425 |
| 20 | The Girl with the Red Hair |  NL | $39,001 | $39,001 |
| 21 | The Killing of America | EN | - | $533 |
| 22 | Ms. 45 | EN | - | $91 |
| 23 | An Eye for an Eye | EN | - | $17 |
| 24 | Enter the Ninja | EN | - | - |
| 25 | Nice Dreams | EN | - | - |
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