#1 of 9 #1 drama movie of October 1981
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)
1981 · Drama, Romance
$26.9M worldwide · 57% of the chart's total
$26.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Drama box office · October 1981
Drama Box Office, October 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in October 1981, with $26.9M worldwide, ahead of Rich and Famous (1981) at $14.5M and Zoot Suit (1981) at $3.3M. 9 drama films released in October 1981 report a worldwide gross, $47.1M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 21% on September 1981, whose releases took $59.4M. By language, English leads with $31.8M across 5 drama releases.
- October 1981 releases with a gross
- 9
- combined worldwide
- $47.1M
- The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), the #1
- $26.9M
- vs September 1981
- −21%
#1 of 9 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of October 1981?
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) leads with $26.9M, 57% of the total. The top 5 together took $47M, almost all of what the 9 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 October 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 October 1981.
- 1 Oct 16, 1981 US and Canada: $26.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.9M
- 2 Oct 9, 1981 US and Canada: $14.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.5M
- 3 Oct 2, 1981 US and Canada: $3.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.3M
- 4 Oct 23, 1981 US and Canada: $1.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.6M
- 5 Oct 10, 1981 US and Canada: $777.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $777.1K
- 6
Oct 7, 1981 US and Canada: $17.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.1K - 7
Oct 25, 1981 US and Canada: $12K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12K - 8
Oct 11, 1981 US and Canada: $5.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.1K - 9
Oct 1, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $297
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in October 1981?
Of the top 9, The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while My Dinner with Andre (1981) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 9 films, $47.1M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 9 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) $26.9M $26.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Rich and Famous (1981) $14.5M $14.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Zoot Suit (1981) $3.3M $3.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Silence of the North (1981) $1.6M $1.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Lonely Heart (1981) $777.1K $777.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Le Pont du Nord (1981) $17.1K $17.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Quartet (1981) $12K $12K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 My Dinner with Andre (1981) $5.1K $5.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 The Killing of Angel Street (1981) $297 No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of October 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 42 (Oct 11–17) took $26.9M, led by The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 27–Oct 3 Zoot Suit (1981) $3.3M Zoot Suit (1981)
- Week 41 Wk 41 Oct 4–10 Rich and Famous (1981) $15.3M Rich and Famous (1981)
- Week 42 Wk 42 Oct 11–17 The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) $26.9M The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)
- Week 43 Wk 43 Oct 18–24 Silence of the North (1981) $1.6M Silence of the North (1981)
- Week 44 Wk 44 Oct 25–31 Quartet (1981) $12K Quartet (1981)
Earlier years
How Does October 1981 Compare With October in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, October 1979 earned the most: $75.1M from 8 films, led by ...and justice for all. (1979). October 1981 took $47.1M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1972 2 films | 2 | $20.6K | – | Slap the Monster on Page One (1972) $16.9K |
| October 1973 5 films · +219084% | 5 | $45.2M | +219084% | The Way We Were (1973) $45M |
| October 1974 3 films · −100% | 3 | $195.2K | −100% | A Bigger Splash (1974) $130.3K |
| October 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1976 1 film | 1 | $7.2K | – | The Marquise of O (1976) $7.2K |
| October 1977 6 films · +602885% | 6 | $43.3M | +602885% | Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) $22.5M |
| October 1978 4 films · +3% | 4 | $44.6M | +3% | Midnight Express (1978) $35M |
| October 1979 8 films · +68% | 8 | $75.1M | +68% | ...and justice for all. (1979) $33.3M |
| October 1980 11 films · −34% | 11 | $49.9M | −34% | The Elephant Man (1980) $26M |
| October 1981 9 films · −6% | 9 | $47.1M | −6% | The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) $26.9M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in October 1981?
English-language drama films took $31.8M across 5 films, 68% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language drama films ($777.1K) and French-language drama films ($29.2K).
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1981, Month by Month
The months of 1981 with their totals: December leads with $314.5M, led by On Golden Pond (1981).
- January $21.3K #1 Thee (1981)
- February $41.1M #1 Fort Apache the Bronx (1981)
- March $35.5M #1 The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
- April $50.7M #1 Excalibur (1981)
- May $91.8M #1 The Four Seasons (1981)
- June $14.9M #1 The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1981)
- July $158.7M #1 The Fox and the Hound (1981)
- August $60.9M #1 Body Heat (1981)
- September $59.4M #1 Only When I Laugh (1981)
- October $47.1M #1 The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)
- November $14.9M #1 Ragtime (1981)
- December $314.5M #1 On Golden Pond (1981)
FAQ
Drama Box Office October 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 9 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in October 1981?
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) leads with $26.9M worldwide, $26.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Rich and Famous (1981) at $14.5M and Zoot Suit (1981) at $3.3M.
How much did drama movies released in October 1981 earn?
9 drama films released in October 1981 report a worldwide gross, $47.1M in all, or $5.2M per film on average. September 1981 releases took $59.4M.
How many drama movies released in October 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), earned $26.9M.
How is the October 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 October 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 October 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.