#1 of 3 #1 crime movie of September 1981
1981 · Drama, Crime
$12.9M worldwide · 100% of the chart's total
$12.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Crime box office · September 1981
Crime Box Office, September 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
True Confessions (1981) is the highest-grossing crime movie released in September 1981, with $12.9M worldwide, ahead of The Girl with the Red Hair (1981) at $39K and The Killing of America (1981) at $533. 3 crime films released in September 1981 report a worldwide gross, $12.9M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 60% on August 1981, whose releases took $32.2M.
- September 1981 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $12.9M
- True Confessions (1981), the #1
- $12.9M
- vs August 1981
- −60%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Crime Hits of September 1981?
True Confessions (1981) leads with $12.9M, 100% of the total. The top 3 together took $12.9M, 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 September 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 September 1981.
- 1 Sep 25, 1981 US and Canada: $12.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.9M
- 2 Sep 17, 1981 US and Canada: $39K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $39K
- 3 Sep 5, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $533
By release week
Which Week of September 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 39 (Sep 20–26) took $12.9M, led by True Confessions (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 36 Wk 36 Aug 30–Sep 5 The Killing of America (1981) $533 The Killing of America (1981)
- Week 37 Wk 37 Sep 6–12 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 38 Wk 38 Sep 13–19 The Girl with the Red Hair (1981) $39K The Girl with the Red Hair (1981)
- Week 39 Wk 39 Sep 20–26 True Confessions (1981) $12.9M True Confessions (1981)
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 27–Oct 3 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does September 1981 Compare With September in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, September 1978 earned the most: $14.6M from 1 film, led by Death on the Nile (1978). September 1981 took $12.9M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1972 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| September 1973 1 film | 1 | $194 | – | Charley Varrick (1973) $194 |
| September 1974 1 film · +88% | 1 | $364 | +88% | The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) $364 |
| September 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| September 1976 1 film | 1 | $2.8M | – | Bugsy Malone (1976) $2.8M |
| September 1977 2 films · −100% | 2 | $7.4K | −100% | The American Friend (1977) $4K |
| September 1978 1 film · +195882% | 1 | $14.6M | +195882% | Death on the Nile (1978) $14.6M |
| September 1979 4 films · −27% | 4 | $10.6M | −27% | The Onion Field (1979) $9.9M |
| September 1980 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| September 1981 3 films | 3 | $12.9M | – | True Confessions (1981) $12.9M |
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 September 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 September 1981?
True Confessions (1981) leads with $12.9M worldwide, $12.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Girl with the Red Hair (1981) at $39K and The Killing of America (1981) at $533.
How much did crime movies released in September 1981 earn?
3 crime films released in September 1981 report a worldwide gross, $12.9M in all, or $4.3M per film on average. August 1981 releases took $32.2M.
How many crime movies released in September 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, True Confessions (1981), earned $12.9M.
How is the September 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 September 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 September 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.