#1 of 18 #1 drama movie of 1959
1959 · Adventure, Drama
$74.4M worldwide · 99% of the chart's total
$74.4M US & Canada · 100% $6.7K elsewhere · <1%
Drama box office · 1959
Drama Box Office 1959: Highest-Grossing Drama Movies
Ben-Hur (1959) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in 1959, with $74.4M worldwide, ahead of The 400 Blows (1959) at $289.7K and Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) at $139.9K. 18 drama films released in 1959 report a worldwide gross, $75M in all, 99% of it from the US & Canada. That is 22.7 times the total of 1958, whose releases took $3.3M. By language, English leads with $74.5M across 9 drama releases.
- 1959 releases with a gross
- 18
- combined worldwide
- $75M
- Ben-Hur (1959), the #1
- $74.4M
- vs 1958
- ×22.7
#1 of 18 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of 1959?
Ben-Hur (1959) leads with $74.4M, 99% of the total. The top 5 together took $74.9M, almost all of what the 18 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 Drama Release of 1959, 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 1959.
- 1 Nov 18, 1959 US and Canada: $74.4M Rest of the world: $6.7K Worldwide: $74.4M
- 2 May 4, 1959 US and Canada: $509 Rest of the world: $289.2K Worldwide: $289.7K
- 3 May 8, 1959 US and Canada: $96.4K Rest of the world: $43.5K Worldwide: $139.9K
- 4 Nov 18, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $42.3K
- 5 Apr 4, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $27.8K
- 6
Jan 25, 1959 US and Canada: $17.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.4K - 7
Aug 26, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $16.4K - 8
Maigret and the St. Fiacre Case (1959)Sep 2, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $14.7K
Sep 2, 1959 · French · Mystery, Drama, Thriller $14.7K worldwide - 9
Dec 17, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $11.3K - 10
Sep 15, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $7.6K - 11
Dec 16, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $7.5K - 12
Mar 5, 1959 US and Canada: $4.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7K - 13
Jan 21, 1959 US and Canada: $4.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7K - 14
Sep 15, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.9K - 15
Nov 11, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.7K - 16
Oct 16, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.5K - 17
Mar 18, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $365 - 18
Jul 1, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $194
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1959?
Of the top 10, The Law (1959) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The 400 Blows (1959) made 100% of its gross abroad. Across all 18 films, $74.6M (99%) came from the US & Canada. 6 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Ben-Hur (1959) $74.4M $74.4M US & Canada · 100% $6.7K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 The 400 Blows (1959) $289.7K $509 US & Canada · <1% $289.2K elsewhere · 100%
- 3 Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) $139.9K $96.4K US & Canada · 69% $43.5K elsewhere · 31%
- 4 A Summer Place (1959) $42.3K No US & Canada figure reported
- 5 Rio Bravo (1959) $27.8K No US & Canada figure reported
- 6 The Law (1959) $17.4K $17.4K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 The Savage Eye (1959) $16.4K No US & Canada figure reported
- 8 Maigret and the St. Fiacre Case (1959) $14.7K No US & Canada figure reported
- 9 On the Beach (1959) $11.3K No US & Canada figure reported
- 10 Look Back in Anger (1959) $7.6K No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many 1959 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 18 films reached $100M. 17 films, 94% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $75M total.
99%
- $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 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $10M to $100M 1 film, 6% of the list $74.4M · 99% of the gross
- Under $10M 17 films, 94% of the list $592.6K · <1% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1959 Earned the Most?
November releases took the most, $74.5M from 3 films, led by Ben-Hur (1959). July was the quietest month ($194). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan The Law (1959) $22K The Law (1959)
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar The Indian Tomb (1959) $5K The Indian Tomb (1959)
- April Apr Rio Bravo (1959) $27.8K Rio Bravo (1959)
- May May The 400 Blows (1959) $429.6K The 400 Blows (1959)
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- July Jul Anatomy of a Murder (1959) $194 Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
- August Aug The Savage Eye (1959) $16.4K The Savage Eye (1959)
- September Sep Maigret and the St. Fiacre Case (1959) $25.2K Maigret and the St. Fiacre Case (1959)
- October Oct Two Men in Manhattan (1959) $2.5K Two Men in Manhattan (1959)
- November Nov Ben-Hur (1959) $74.5M Ben-Hur (1959)
- December Dec On the Beach (1959) $18.8K On the Beach (1959)
Last 10 years
How Does 1959 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1956 earned the most: $119.9M from 27 films, led by The Ten Commandments (1956). 1959 took $75M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 14 films | 14 | $1.5M | – | Shadow on the Wall (1950) $769K |
| 1951 16 films · +198% | 16 | $4.5M | +198% | Ace in the Hole (1951) $2.3M |
| 1952 20 films · +708% | 20 | $36.5M | +708% | The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) $36M |
| 1953 18 films · +1% | 18 | $36.8M | +1% | The Robe (1953) $36M |
| 1954 26 films · −11% | 26 | $32.7M | −11% | The Caine Mutiny (1954) $21.8M |
| 1955 22 films · +193% | 22 | $95.8M | +193% | Lady and the Tramp (1955) $93.9M |
| 1956 27 films · +25% | 27 | $119.9M | +25% | The Ten Commandments (1956) $65.5M |
| 1957 24 films · −73% | 24 | $32.5M | −73% | The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) $27.2M |
| 1958 21 films · −90% | 21 | $3.3M | −90% | Touch of Evil (1958) $2.3M |
| 1959 18 films · +2173% | 18 | $75M | +2173% | Ben-Hur (1959) $74.4M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in 1959?
English-language drama films took $74.5M across 9 films, 99% of the total, ahead of French-language drama films ($471.7K) and German-language drama films ($9.3K).
Archive
Drama Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1919 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $13.9B, led by The Lion King (2019).
2020s 7 years · $50.1B
2010s 10 years · $113.6B
- 2019 $13.9B #1 The Lion King (2019)
- 2018 $12.7B #1 Black Panther (2018)
- 2017 $12.5B #1 Wolf Warrior 2 (2017)
- 2016 $11.1B #1 The Jungle Book (2016)
- 2015 $11.6B #1 Inside Out (2015)
- 2014 $10.3B #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)
- 2013 $12.1B #1 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
- 2012 $12B #1 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
- 2011 $7.8B #1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
- 2010 $9.6B #1 Inception (2010)
2000s 10 years · $70.7B
- 2009 $9.9B #1 2012 (2009)
- 2008 $10.6B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $7.6B #1 I Am Legend (2007)
- 2006 $7.5B #1 The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
- 2005 $8.1B #1 War of the Worlds (2005)
- 2004 $6.4B #1 The Passion of the Christ (2004)
- 2003 $5B #1 Bruce Almighty (2003)
- 2002 $5.2B #1 Signs (2002)
- 2001 $4.6B #1 Pearl Harbor (2001)
- 2000 $5.8B #1 Gladiator (2000)
1990s 10 years · $42.3B
- 1999 $5.2B #1 The Sixth Sense (1999)
- 1998 $4.9B #1 Saving Private Ryan (1998)
- 1997 $5.9B #1 Titanic (1997)
- 1996 $4.5B #1 Twister (1996)
- 1995 $4.8B #1 Apollo 13 (1995)
- 1994 $4.3B #1 The Lion King (1994)
- 1993 $4.7B #1 Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- 1992 $2.9B #1 The Bodyguard (1992)
- 1991 $2.4B #1 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
- 1990 $2.7B #1 Ghost (1990)
1980s 10 years · $14.2B
- 1989 $2B #1 Dead Poets Society (1989)
- 1988 $2.1B #1 Rain Man (1988)
- 1987 $1.7B #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- 1986 $1.4B #1 Top Gun (1986)
- 1985 $1.5B #1 Rocky IV (1985)
- 1984 $1.4B #1 Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
- 1983 $1.1B #1 Terms of Endearment (1983)
- 1982 $1.3B #1 Tootsie (1982)
- 1981 $889.5M #1 On Golden Pond (1981)
- 1980 $674.6M #1 Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
1970s 10 years · $5B
- 1979 $919.3M #1 Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
- 1978 $585M #1 Jaws 2 (1978)
- 1977 $832.1M #1 Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
- 1976 $378.6M #1 Rocky (1976)
- 1975 $303.6M #1 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
- 1974 $439.5M #1 The Towering Inferno (1974)
- 1973 $869.6M #1 The Exorcist (1973)
- 1972 $337M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- 1971 $133.4M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $229.2M #1 Airport (1970)
1960s 10 years · $865.1M
- 1969 $164M #1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- 1968 $59.2M #1 Funny Girl (1968)
- 1967 $166.8M #1 The Graduate (1967)
- 1966 $29.7M #1 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
- 1965 $272.6M #1 The Sound of Music (1965)
- 1964 $74.9M #1 My Fair Lady (1964)
- 1963 $63.5M #1 Cleopatra (1963)
- 1962 $6M #1 The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
- 1961 $6.5M #1 Mother and a Guest (1961)
- 1960 $21.9M #1 The Apartment (1960)
1950s 10 years · $438.7M
- 1959 $75M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- 1958 $3.3M #1 Touch of Evil (1958)
- 1957 $32.5M #1 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- 1956 $119.9M #1 The Ten Commandments (1956)
- 1955 $95.8M #1 Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- 1954 $32.7M #1 The Caine Mutiny (1954)
- 1953 $36.8M #1 The Robe (1953)
- 1952 $36.5M #1 The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
- 1951 $4.5M #1 Ace in the Hole (1951)
- 1950 $1.5M #1 Shadow on the Wall (1950)
1940s 10 years · $775.9M
- 1949 $164.2K #1 Stray Dog (1949)
- 1948 $6.2M #1 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
- 1947 $11.1M #1 It's a Wonderful Life (1947)
- 1946 $54.6M #1 The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
- 1945 $22M #1 The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945)
- 1944 $102.5K #1 Henry V (1944)
- 1943 $4.9M #1 Casablanca (1943)
- 1942 $270.1M #1 Bambi (1942)
- 1941 $1.8M #1 Citizen Kane (1941)
- 1940 $404.9M #1 Gone with the Wind (1940)
1930s 10 years · $2.8M
- 1939 $1.1M #1 Wuthering Heights (1939)
- 1938 $47.4K #1 Port of Shadows (1938)
- 1937 $19.3K #1 Stage Door (1937)
- 1936 $536.4K #1 Modern Times (1936)
- 1935 $516K #1 Sylvia Scarlett (1935)
- 1934 $13.2K #1 L’Atalante (1934)
- 1933 $451.3K #1 Baby Face (1933)
- 1932 $47.1K #1 The Old Dark House (1932)
- 1931 $46.6K #1 M (1931)
- 1930 $5.1K #1 The Blue Angel (1930)
1920s 8 years · $10.4M
- 1929 $89.2K #1 Pandora’s Box (1929)
- 1928 $40.9K #1 The Air Circus (1928)
- 1927 $161.5K #1 Sunrise (1927)
- 1926 $720.7K #1 Flesh and the Devil (1926)
- 1925 $82.5K #1 The Gold Rush (1925)
- 1923 $12.9K #1 A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923)
- 1921 $9.2M #1 The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)
- 1920 $9.3K #1 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
1910s 1 year · $160
FAQ
Drama Box Office 1959: 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 18 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in 1959?
Ben-Hur (1959) leads with $74.4M worldwide, $74.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The 400 Blows (1959) at $289.7K and Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) at $139.9K.
How much did drama movies released in 1959 earn?
18 drama films released in 1959 report a worldwide gross, $75M in all, or $4.2M per film on average. 1958 releases took $3.3M.
How many drama movies released in 1959 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Ben-Hur (1959), earned $74.4M.
How is the 1959 drama 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 1959. 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 1959 drama 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.