#1 of 67 #1 drama movie of 1981
1981 · Drama
$119.3M worldwide · 13% of the chart's total
$119.3M US & Canada · 100% $378 elsewhere · <1%
Drama box office · 1981
Drama Box Office 1981: Highest-Grossing Drama Movies
On Golden Pond (1981) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in 1981, with $119.3M worldwide, ahead of The Fox and the Hound (1981) at $63.5M and The Four Seasons (1981) at $50.4M. 67 drama films released in 1981 report a worldwide gross, $889.5M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 32% on 1980, whose releases took $674.6M. By language, English leads with $866.3M across 50 drama releases.
- 1981 releases with a gross
- 67
- combined worldwide
- $889.5M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs 1980
- +32%
#1 of 67 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of 1981?
On Golden Pond (1981) leads with $119.3M, 13% of the total. The top 5 together took $314.3M, 35% of what all 67 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 1981, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 67. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1981.
- 1 Dec 4, 1981 US and Canada: $119.3M Rest of the world: $378 Worldwide: $119.3M
- 2 Jul 10, 1981 US and Canada: $63.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $63.5M
- 3 May 22, 1981 US and Canada: $50.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $50.4M
- 4 Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $40.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $40.7M
- 5 Dec 25, 1981 US and Canada: $40.4M Rest of the world: $129 Worldwide: $40.4M
- 6
Jul 24, 1981 US and Canada: $36.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $36.6M - 7
Dec 25, 1981 US and Canada: $35.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.9M - 8
Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $35.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.6M - 9
Apr 10, 1981 US and Canada: $35M Rest of the world: $3.7K Worldwide: $35M - 10
Jul 17, 1981 US and Canada: $31.2M Rest of the world: $1.3M Worldwide: $32.5M - 11
May 22, 1981 US and Canada: $31.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.3M - 12
Feb 6, 1981 US and Canada: $29.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $29.2M - 13
Oct 16, 1981 US and Canada: $26.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.9M - 14
Sep 25, 1981 US and Canada: $25.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.5M - 15
Aug 28, 1981 US and Canada: $24.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $24.1M - 16
Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $23.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.4M - 17
Sep 25, 1981 US and Canada: $19M Rest of the world: $1.9K Worldwide: $19M - 18
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1981)Jun 5, 1981 US and Canada: $14.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.9M
Jun 5, 1981 · English · Drama, Music $14.9M worldwide - 19
Nov 20, 1981 US and Canada: $14.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.9M - 20
Jul 1, 1981 US and Canada: $14.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.9M - 21
Oct 9, 1981 US and Canada: $14.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.5M - 22
Sep 25, 1981 US and Canada: $12.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.9M - 23
Apr 3, 1981 US and Canada: $12.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.7M - 24
Aug 21, 1981 US and Canada: $12.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.5M - 25
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)Mar 20, 1981 US and Canada: $12.4M Rest of the world: $6.8K Worldwide: $12.4M Mar 20, 1981 · English · Drama, Thriller, Romance $12.4M worldwide - 26
Mar 27, 1981 US and Canada: $11.5M Rest of the world: $2.6K Worldwide: $11.5M - 27
Jul 31, 1981 US and Canada: $10.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.9M - 28
Dec 11, 1981 US and Canada: $10.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.9M - 29
Aug 6, 1981 US and Canada: $9.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.6M - 30
Dec 2, 1981 US and Canada: $8.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.2M - 31
Aug 21, 1981 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M - 32
Feb 13, 1981 US and Canada: $6.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.4M - 33
Mar 4, 1981 US and Canada: $6.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.3M - 34
Aug 28, 1981 US and Canada: $5.7M Rest of the world: $6K Worldwide: $5.7M - 35
Feb 13, 1981 US and Canada: $5.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.5M - 36
May 4, 1981 US and Canada: $5.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.2M - 37
Oct 2, 1981 US and Canada: $3.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.3M - 38
May 15, 1981 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.1M - 39
Mar 13, 1981 US and Canada: $2.9M Rest of the world: $582 Worldwide: $2.9M - 40
Apr 24, 1981 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.4M - 41
Sep 18, 1981 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2M - 42
May 1, 1981 US and Canada: $1.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.8M - 43
Mar 20, 1981 US and Canada: $1.7M Rest of the world: $23.4K Worldwide: $1.8M - 44
Oct 23, 1981 US and Canada: $1.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.6M - 45
Aug 26, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $917.3K - 46
Oct 10, 1981 US and Canada: $777.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $777.1K - 47
Apr 1, 1981 US and Canada: $534.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $534.7K - 48
Jul 24, 1981 US and Canada: $492K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $492K - 49
Mar 20, 1981 US and Canada: $469.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $469.8K - 50
Dec 10, 1981 US and Canada: $237K Rest of the world: $286 Worldwide: $237.3K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1981?
Of the top 10, The Fox and the Hound (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Endless Love (1981) made 4% of its gross abroad. Across all 67 films, $887.2M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 On Golden Pond (1981) $119.3M $119.3M US & Canada · 100% $378 elsewhere · <1%
- 2 The Fox and the Hound (1981) $63.5M $63.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Four Seasons (1981) $50.4M $50.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Absence of Malice (1981) $40.7M $40.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Reds (1981) $40.4M $40.4M US & Canada · 100% $129 elsewhere · <1%
- 6 Tarzan the Ape Man (1981) $36.6M $36.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Taps (1981) $35.9M $35.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Sharky's Machine (1981) $35.6M $35.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Excalibur (1981) $35M $35M US & Canada · 100% $3.7K elsewhere · <1%
- 10 Endless Love (1981) $32.5M $31.2M US & Canada · 96% $1.3M elsewhere · 4%
Gross bands
How Many 1981 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 67 films crossed $100M and took $119.3M between them, 13% of the total. 39 films, 58% of the list, earned under $10M.
13% 78% 9%
- $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 1 film, 1% of the list $119.3M · 13% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 27 films, 40% of the list $692.7M · 78% of the gross
- Under $10M 39 films, 58% of the list $77.6M · 9% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1981 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $314.5M from 11 films, led by On Golden Pond (1981). January was the quietest month ($21.3K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Thee (1981) $21.3K Thee (1981)
- February Feb Fort Apache the Bronx (1981) $41.1M Fort Apache the Bronx (1981)
- March Mar The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) $35.5M The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
- April Apr Excalibur (1981) $50.7M Excalibur (1981)
- May May The Four Seasons (1981) $91.8M The Four Seasons (1981)
- June Jun The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1981) $14.9M The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1981)
- July Jul The Fox and the Hound (1981) $158.7M The Fox and the Hound (1981)
- August Aug Body Heat (1981) $60.9M Body Heat (1981)
- September Sep Only When I Laugh (1981) $59.4M Only When I Laugh (1981)
- October Oct The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) $47.1M The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)
- November Nov Ragtime (1981) $14.9M Ragtime (1981)
- December Dec On Golden Pond (1981) $314.5M On Golden Pond (1981)
Last 10 years
How Does 1981 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1979 earned the most: $919.3M from 58 films, led by Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). 1981 took $889.5M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 29 films | 29 | $337M | – | The Godfather (1972) $250.3M |
| 1973 34 films · +158% | 34 | $869.6M | +158% | The Exorcist (1973) $430.9M |
| 1974 34 films · −49% | 34 | $439.5M | −49% | The Towering Inferno (1974) $116M |
| 1975 30 films · −31% | 30 | $303.6M | −31% | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) $109.1M |
| 1976 27 films · +25% | 27 | $378.6M | +25% | Rocky (1976) $117.3M |
| 1977 41 films · +120% | 41 | $832.1M | +120% | Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) $306.9M |
| 1978 50 films · −30% | 50 | $585M | −30% | Jaws 2 (1978) $187.9M |
| 1979 58 films · +57% | 58 | $919.3M | +57% | Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) $106.3M |
| 1980 63 films · −27% | 63 | $674.6M | −27% | Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) $67.2M |
| 1981 67 films · +32% | 67 | $889.5M | +32% | On Golden Pond (1981) $119.3M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in 1981?
English-language drama films took $866.3M across 50 films, 97% of the total, ahead of French-language drama films ($6.5M) and Cantonese-language drama films ($917.3K).
1981 Drama Box Office by Language
- English $866.3M50 films · #1 On Golden Pond (1981)
-
French $6.5M7 films · #1 The Boy Soldier (1981) -
Cantonese $917.3K1 film · #1 On Trial (1981) -
Japanese $777.5K2 films · #1 Lonely Heart (1981) -
Polish $492K1 film · #1 Man of Iron (1981) -
Dutch $39K1 film · #1 The Girl with the Red Hair (1981) -
German $19.9K3 films · #1 Lola (1981) -
Tamil $11.2K1 film · #1 Thee (1981)
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 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 67 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in 1981?
On Golden Pond (1981) leads with $119.3M worldwide, $119.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Fox and the Hound (1981) at $63.5M and The Four Seasons (1981) at $50.4M.
How much did drama movies released in 1981 earn?
67 drama films released in 1981 report a worldwide gross, $889.5M in all, or $13.3M per film on average. 1980 releases took $674.6M.
How many drama movies released in 1981 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by On Golden Pond (1981) with $119.3M.
How is the 1981 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 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 1981 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.