#1 of 28 #1 drama movie of 1961
1961 · Romance, Drama
$3.7M worldwide · 56% of the chart's total
No US & Canada figure reported
Drama box office · 1961
Drama Box Office 1961: Highest-Grossing Drama Movies
Mother and a Guest (1961) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in 1961, with $3.7M worldwide, ahead of Seong Chun-hyang (1961) at $799K and Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) at $600.7K. 28 drama films released in 1961 report a worldwide gross, $6.5M in all, 23% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 70% on 1960, whose releases took $21.9M. By language, Korean leads with $4.5M across 2 drama releases.
- 1961 releases with a gross
- 28
- combined worldwide
- $6.5M
- Mother and a Guest (1961), the #1
- $3.7M
- vs 1960
- −70%
#1 of 28 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of 1961?
Mother and a Guest (1961) leads with $3.7M, 56% of the total. The top 5 together took $5.7M, 86% of what all 28 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 1961, 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 1961.
- 1 Aug 26, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.7M
- 2 Jan 28, 1961 US and Canada: $799K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $799K
- 3 Oct 5, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $600.7K
- 4 Jun 15, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $350K
- 5 May 25, 1961 US and Canada: $207.9K Rest of the world: $15.2K Worldwide: $223.1K
- 6
Apr 19, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $217.4K - 7
Jul 1, 1961 US and Canada: $209.8K Rest of the world: $1.1K Worldwide: $210.9K - 8
Mar 3, 1961 US and Canada: $104K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $104K - 9
Jan 24, 1961 US and Canada: $39.2K Rest of the world: $57.6K Worldwide: $96.8K - 10
Dec 19, 1961 US and Canada: $71.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $71.6K - 11
Sep 13, 1961 US and Canada: $46.8K Rest of the world: $21.4K Worldwide: $68.2K - 12
Jul 13, 1961 US and Canada: $30.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $30.9K - 13
Jun 22, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $20.6K - 14
May 17, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $16.3K - 15
Dec 18, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $12.2K - 16
Dec 18, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $10.2K - 17
Sep 25, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.1K - 18
Dec 25, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $7.7K - 19
Feb 9, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.2K - 20
Sep 14, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4.6K - 21
Jul 1, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4.4K - 22
Aug 31, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.9K - 23
Nov 1, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.6K - 24
Mar 30, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $580 - 25
Mar 20, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $339 - 26
Dec 19, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $250 - 27
Feb 1, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $217 - 28
Mar 29, 1961 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $143
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1961?
Of the top 10, Seong Chun-hyang (1961) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while La Notte (1961) made 59% of its gross abroad. Across all 28 films, $1.5M (23%) came from the US & Canada. 4 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Mother and a Guest (1961) $3.7M No US & Canada figure reported
- 2 Seong Chun-hyang (1961) $799K $799K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) $600.7K No US & Canada figure reported
- 4 The Colossus of Rhodes (1961) $350K No US & Canada figure reported
- 5 Last Year at Marienbad (1961) $223.1K $207.9K US & Canada · 93% $15.2K elsewhere · 7%
- 6 La Dolce Vita (1961) $217.4K No US & Canada figure reported
- 7 A Woman Is a Woman (1961) $210.9K $209.8K US & Canada · 99% $1.1K elsewhere · <1%
- 8 Lola (1961) $104K $104K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 La Notte (1961) $96.8K $39.2K US & Canada · 41% $57.6K elsewhere · 59%
- 10 A Difficult Life (1961) $71.6K $71.6K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many 1961 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 28 films reached $100M. 28 films, 100% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $6.5M total.
100%
- $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 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- Under $10M 28 films, 100% of the list $6.5M · 100% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1961 Earned the Most?
August releases took the most, $3.7M from 2 films, led by Mother and a Guest (1961). November was the quietest month ($1.6K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Seong Chun-hyang (1961) $895.8K Seong Chun-hyang (1961)
- February Feb Girl with a Suitcase (1961) $5.5K Girl with a Suitcase (1961)
- March Mar Lola (1961) $105K Lola (1961)
- April Apr La Dolce Vita (1961) $217.4K La Dolce Vita (1961)
- May May Last Year at Marienbad (1961) $239.4K Last Year at Marienbad (1961)
- June Jun The Colossus of Rhodes (1961) $370.6K The Colossus of Rhodes (1961)
- July Jul A Woman Is a Woman (1961) $246.2K A Woman Is a Woman (1961)
- August Aug Mother and a Guest (1961) $3.7M Mother and a Guest (1961)
- September Sep Yojimbo (1961) $80.9K Yojimbo (1961)
- October Oct Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) $600.7K Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
- November Nov Too Late Blues (1961) $1.6K Too Late Blues (1961)
- December Dec A Difficult Life (1961) $102K A Difficult Life (1961)
Last 10 years
How Does 1961 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1956 earned the most: $119.9M from 27 films, led by The Ten Commandments (1956). 1961 took $6.5M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 20 films | 20 | $36.5M | – | 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 |
| 1960 28 films · −71% | 28 | $21.9M | −71% | The Apartment (1960) $18.8M |
| 1961 28 films · −70% | 28 | $6.5M | −70% | Mother and a Guest (1961) $3.7M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in 1961?
Korean-language drama films took $4.5M across 2 films, 68% of the total, ahead of English-language drama films ($915.2K) and French-language drama films ($542.4K).
1961 Drama Box Office by Language
-
Korean $4.5M2 films · #1 Mother and a Guest (1961) -
English $915.2K13 films · #1 Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) -
French $542.4K4 films · #1 Last Year at Marienbad (1961) -
Italian $526.5K5 films · #1 The Colossus of Rhodes (1961) -
Japanese $68.3K2 films · #1 Yojimbo (1961) -
Spanish $16.3K1 film · #1 Viridiana (1961)
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 1961: 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 28 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in 1961?
Mother and a Guest (1961) leads with $3.7M worldwide. Next come Seong Chun-hyang (1961) at $799K and Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) at $600.7K.
How much did drama movies released in 1961 earn?
28 drama films released in 1961 report a worldwide gross, $6.5M in all, or $233.8K per film on average. 1960 releases took $21.9M.
How many drama movies released in 1961 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Mother and a Guest (1961), earned $3.7M.
How is the 1961 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 1961. 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 1961 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.