#1 of 3 #1 drama movie of Week 12, 1981
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
1981 · Drama, Thriller
$12.4M worldwide · 85% of the chart's total
$12.4M US & Canada · 100% $6.8K elsewhere · <1%
Drama box office · Week 12 · Mar 15–21, 1981
Drama Box Office, Week 12 of 1981: Drama Releases of Mar 15–21
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in week 12 of 1981 (Mar 15–21), with $12.4M worldwide, ahead of Cutter's Way (1981) at $1.8M and Kelly (1981) at $469.8K. 3 drama films released that week report a worldwide gross, $14.6M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada.
- week 12 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $14.6M
- The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), the #1
- $12.4M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of Week 12 of 1981?
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) leads with $12.4M, 85% of the total. The top 3 together took $14.6M, almost all of what the 3 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Drama Release of Week 12 of 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 week 12 of 1981 (Mar 15–21).
- 1 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 - 2 Mar 20, 1981 US and Canada: $1.7M Rest of the world: $23.4K Worldwide: $1.8M
- 3 Mar 20, 1981 US and Canada: $469.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $469.8K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in Week 12 of 1981?
Of the top 3, Kelly (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Cutter's Way (1981) made 1% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $14.6M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) $12.4M $12.4M US & Canada · 100% $6.8K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Cutter's Way (1981) $1.8M $1.7M US & Canada · 99% $23.4K elsewhere · 1%
- 3 Kelly (1981) $469.8K $469.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Weeks around it
How Does Week 12 Compare With the Weeks Around It?
Week 12 releases took $14.6M. The biggest of these 9 weeks is week 6 (Feb 1–7) with $29.2M, led by Fort Apache the Bronx (1981).
- Week 6 Wk 6 Feb 1–7 Fort Apache the Bronx (1981) $29.2M Fort Apache the Bronx (1981)
- Week 7 Wk 7 Feb 8–14 Eyewitness (1981) $11.9M Eyewitness (1981)
- Week 8 Wk 8 Feb 15–21 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 9 Wk 9 Feb 22–28 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 10 Wk 10 Mar 1–7 The Boy Soldier (1981) $6.4M The Boy Soldier (1981)
- Week 11 Wk 11 Mar 8–14 Modern Romance (1981) $3M Modern Romance (1981)
- Week 12 Wk 12 Mar 15–21 The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) $14.6M The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
- Week 13 Wk 13 Mar 22–28 Thief (1981) $11.5M Thief (1981)
- Week 14 Wk 14 Mar 29–Apr 4 Atlantic City (1981) $13.3M Atlantic City (1981)
Earlier years
How Does Week 12 of 1981 Compare With Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, Week 12, 1980 earned the most: $39.2M from 3 films, led by Little Darlings (1980). Week 12, 1981 took $14.6M.
| Week | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 12, 1972 Mar 12–18 1 film | 1 | $2.8K | – | Buck and the Preacher (1972) $2.8K |
| Week 12, 1973 Mar 18–24 1 film · −91% | 1 | $259 | −91% | Lovers Are Wet (1973) $259 |
| Week 12, 1974 Mar 17–23 1 film · +4% | 1 | $269 | +4% | Lady Snowblood (1974) $269 |
| Week 12, 1975 Mar 16–22 1 film · +12743337% | 1 | $34.3M | +12743337% | Tommy (1975) $34.3M |
| Week 12, 1976 Mar 14–20 1 film · −100% | 1 | $38.8K | −100% | Small Change (1976) $38.8K |
| Week 12, 1977 Mar 13–19 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| Week 12, 1978 Mar 19–25 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| Week 12, 1979 Mar 18–24 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| Week 12, 1980 Mar 16–22 3 films | 3 | $39.2M | – | Little Darlings (1980) $34.3M |
| Week 12, 1981 Mar 15–21 3 films · −63% | 3 | $14.6M | −63% | The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) $12.4M |
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1981, Week by Week
36 weeks of 1981 with reported grosses; the biggest is week 49 (Nov 29–Dec 5) with $127.5M, led by On Golden Pond (1981).
- Week 1 No grosses
- Week 2 No grosses
- Week 3 $10.1K
- Week 4 No grosses
- Week 5 $11.2K
- Week 6 $29.2M
- Week 7 $11.9M
- Week 8 No grosses
- Week 9 No grosses
- Week 10 $6.4M
- Week 11 $3M
- Week 12 $14.6M
- Week 13 $11.5M
- Week 14 $13.3M
- Week 15 $35M
- Week 16 No grosses
- Week 17 $2.4M
- Week 18 $1.8M
- Week 19 $5.2M
- Week 20 $3.1M
- Week 21 $81.7M
- Week 22 No grosses
- Week 23 $14.9M
- Week 24 No grosses
- Week 25 No grosses
- Week 26 No grosses
- Week 27 $14.9M
- Week 28 $63.5M
- Week 29 $32.5M
- Week 30 $37.1M
- Week 31 $10.9M
- Week 32 $9.6M
- Week 33 No grosses
- Week 34 $20.6M
- Week 35 $30.7M
- Week 36 No grosses
- Week 37 No grosses
- Week 38 $2M
- Week 39 $57.4M
- Week 40 $3.3M
- Week 41 $15.3M
- Week 42 $26.9M
- Week 43 $1.6M
- Week 44 $12K
- Week 45 No grosses
- Week 46 No grosses
- Week 47 $14.9M
- Week 48 No grosses
- Week 49 $127.5M
- Week 50 $11.1M
- Week 51 $99.7M
- Week 52 $76.2M
- Week 53 No grosses
FAQ
Drama Box Office Week 12 of 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 3 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in week 12 of 1981 (Mar 15–21)?
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) leads with $12.4M worldwide, $12.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Cutter's Way (1981) at $1.8M and Kelly (1981) at $469.8K.
How much did drama movies released in week 12 of 1981 (Mar 15–21) earn?
3 drama films released in week 12 of 1981 (Mar 15–21) report a worldwide gross, $14.6M in all, or $4.9M per film on average.
How many drama movies released in week 12 of 1981 (Mar 15–21) made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), earned $12.4M.
How is the week 12, 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 week 12 of 1981 (Mar 15–21). 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 week 12, 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.