#1 of 11 #1 drama movie of December 1981
1981 · Drama
$119.3M worldwide · 38% of the chart's total
$119.3M US & Canada · 100% $378 elsewhere · <1%
Drama box office · December 1981
Drama Box Office, December 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
On Golden Pond (1981) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in December 1981, with $119.3M worldwide, ahead of Absence of Malice (1981) at $40.7M and Reds (1981) at $40.4M. 11 drama films released in December 1981 report a worldwide gross, $314.5M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. By language, English leads with $314.5M across 9 drama releases.
- December 1981 releases with a gross
- 11
- combined worldwide
- $314.5M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 11 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of December 1981?
On Golden Pond (1981) leads with $119.3M, 38% of the total. The top 5 together took $271.9M, 86% of what all 11 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 December 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 December 1981.
- 1 Dec 4, 1981 US and Canada: $119.3M Rest of the world: $378 Worldwide: $119.3M
- 2 Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $40.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $40.7M
- 3 Dec 25, 1981 US and Canada: $40.4M Rest of the world: $129 Worldwide: $40.4M
- 4 Dec 25, 1981 US and Canada: $35.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.9M
- 5 Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $35.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.6M
- 6
Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $23.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.4M - 7
Dec 11, 1981 US and Canada: $10.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.9M - 8
Dec 2, 1981 US and Canada: $8.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.2M - 9
Dec 10, 1981 US and Canada: $237K Rest of the world: $286 Worldwide: $237.3K - 10
Dec 25, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $407 - 11
Dec 2, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $406
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1981?
Of the top 10, Absence of Malice (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Puberty Blues (1981) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 11 films, $314.5M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 10 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 On Golden Pond (1981) $119.3M $119.3M US & Canada · 100% $378 elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Absence of Malice (1981) $40.7M $40.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Reds (1981) $40.4M $40.4M US & Canada · 100% $129 elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Taps (1981) $35.9M $35.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Sharky's Machine (1981) $35.6M $35.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Ghost Story (1981) $23.4M $23.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Rollover (1981) $10.9M $10.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981) $8.2M $8.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Puberty Blues (1981) $237.3K $237K US & Canada · 100% $286 elsewhere · <1%
- 10 Angel Guts: Red Porno (1981) $407 No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many December 1981 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 11 films crossed $100M and took $119.3M between them, 38% of the total. 4 films, 36% of the list, earned under $10M.
38% 59%
- $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, 9% of the list $119.3M · 38% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 6 films, 55% of the list $186.8M · 59% of the gross
- Under $10M 4 films, 36% of the list $8.4M · 3% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of December 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 49 (Nov 29–Dec 5) took $127.5M, led by On Golden Pond (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 On Golden Pond (1981) $127.5M On Golden Pond (1981)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 Rollover (1981) $11.1M Rollover (1981)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 Absence of Malice (1981) $99.7M Absence of Malice (1981)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 Reds (1981) $76.2M Reds (1981)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 27–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1981 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1973 earned the most: $670.3M from 6 films, led by The Exorcist (1973). December 1981 took $314.5M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1972 5 films | 5 | $84.9M | – | The Poseidon Adventure (1972) $84.6M |
| December 1973 6 films · +689% | 6 | $670.3M | +689% | The Exorcist (1973) $430.9M |
| December 1974 6 films · −73% | 6 | $182.8M | −73% | The Towering Inferno (1974) $116M |
| December 1975 3 films · −72% | 3 | $50.8M | −72% | Dog Day Afternoon (1975) $50M |
| December 1976 2 films · +289% | 2 | $197.3M | +289% | Rocky (1976) $117.3M |
| December 1977 3 films · +20% | 3 | $237.3M | +20% | Saturday Night Fever (1977) $237.1M |
| December 1978 5 films · −65% | 5 | $82.5M | −65% | The Deer Hunter (1978) $49.1M |
| December 1979 7 films · +235% | 7 | $276.6M | +235% | Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) $106.3M |
| December 1980 3 films · −83% | 3 | $47.2M | −83% | The Jazz Singer (1980) $27.1M |
| December 1981 11 films · +566% | 11 | $314.5M | +566% | On Golden Pond (1981) $119.3M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in December 1981?
English-language drama films took $314.5M across 9 films, 100% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language drama films ($407) and French-language drama films ($406).
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 December 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 11 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in December 1981?
On Golden Pond (1981) leads with $119.3M worldwide, $119.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Absence of Malice (1981) at $40.7M and Reds (1981) at $40.4M.
How much did drama movies released in December 1981 earn?
11 drama films released in December 1981 report a worldwide gross, $314.5M in all, or $28.6M per film on average.
How many drama movies released in December 1981 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by On Golden Pond (1981) with $119.3M.
How is the December 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 December 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 December 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.