#1 of 3 #1 crime movie of August 1981
1981 · Drama, Thriller
$24.1M worldwide · 75% of the chart's total
$24.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Crime box office · August 1981
Crime Box Office, August 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
Body Heat (1981) is the highest-grossing crime movie released in August 1981, with $24.1M worldwide, ahead of Prince of the City (1981) at $8.1M and An Eye for an Eye (1981) at $17. 3 crime films released in August 1981 report a worldwide gross, $32.2M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada.
- August 1981 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $32.2M
- Body Heat (1981), the #1
- $24.1M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Crime Hits of August 1981?
Body Heat (1981) leads with $24.1M, 75% of the total. The top 3 together took $32.2M, almost all of what the 3 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Crime Release of August 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 August 1981.
- 1 Aug 28, 1981 US and Canada: $24.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $24.1M
- 2 Aug 21, 1981 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M
- 3 Aug 14, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $17
By release week
Which Week of August 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 35 (Aug 23–29) took $24.1M, led by Body Heat (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 31 Wk 31 Jul 26–Aug 1 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 32 Wk 32 Aug 2–8 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 33 Wk 33 Aug 9–15 An Eye for an Eye (1981) $17 An Eye for an Eye (1981)
- Week 34 Wk 34 Aug 16–22 Prince of the City (1981) $8.1M Prince of the City (1981)
- Week 35 Wk 35 Aug 23–29 Body Heat (1981) $24.1M Body Heat (1981)
- Week 36 Wk 36 Aug 30–Sep 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does August 1981 Compare With August in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, August 1974 earned the most: $43M from 2 films, led by The Longest Yard (1974). August 1981 took $32.2M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1972 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1973 2 films | 2 | $118.9K | – | Enter the Dragon (1973) $115.8K |
| August 1974 2 films · +36075% | 2 | $43M | +36075% | The Longest Yard (1974) $43M |
| August 1975 1 film · −95% | 1 | $2.1M | −95% | Framed (1975) $2.1M |
| August 1976 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1977 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1978 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1979 1 film | 1 | $2.4M | – | Sunburn (1979) $2.4M |
| August 1980 2 films · +575% | 2 | $16.3M | +575% | The Hunter (1980) $16.3M |
| August 1981 3 films · +98% | 3 | $32.2M | +98% | Body Heat (1981) $24.1M |
Archive
Crime Box Office in 1981, Month by Month
The months of 1981 with their totals: April leads with $45.4M, led by Nighthawks (1981).
- January No grosses
- February $35.6M #1 Fort Apache the Bronx (1981)
- March $25.8M #1 The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
- April $45.4M #1 Nighthawks (1981)
- May $17.4M #1 Outland (1981)
- June $31.2M #1 The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
- July No grosses
- August $32.2M #1 Body Heat (1981)
- September $12.9M #1 True Confessions (1981)
- October $777.1K #1 Lonely Heart (1981)
- November $3.7M #1 The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper (1981)
- December $42.5M #1 Sharky's Machine (1981)
FAQ
Crime Box Office August 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 3 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing crime movie in August 1981?
Body Heat (1981) leads with $24.1M worldwide, $24.1M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Prince of the City (1981) at $8.1M and An Eye for an Eye (1981) at $17.
How much did crime movies released in August 1981 earn?
3 crime films released in August 1981 report a worldwide gross, $32.2M in all, or $10.7M per film on average.
How many crime movies released in August 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Body Heat (1981), earned $24.1M.
How is the August 1981 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 August 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 August 1981 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.