#1 of 26 Highest-grossing film-noir movie ever
1958 · Drama, Thriller
$2.3M worldwide
$2.2M US & Canada · 98% $37.6K elsewhere · 2%
Film-Noir box office · All time
Highest-Grossing Film-Noir Movies of All Time
Touch of Evil (1958) is the highest-grossing film-noir movie in our database, with $2.3M worldwide, ahead of The Third Man (1949) at $1.4M and Sunset Boulevard (1950) at $310.1K. 26 film-noir films in our database report a worldwide gross, $4.5M in all, 82% of it from the US & Canada. By language, English leads with $4.2M across 24 film-noir releases.
- films with a reported gross
- 26
- combined worldwide
- $4.5M
- Touch of Evil (1958), the #1
- $2.3M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 82%
#1 of 26 Top 5
What Are the Highest-Grossing Film-Noir Movies Ever?
Touch of Evil (1958) leads with $2.3M, $863.2K ahead of The Third Man (1949). The top 5 were released between 1935 and 1958 and took $4.2M together; none of them earned more than half of their gross outside the US & Canada.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
All 26 Film-Noir Movies, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada.
- 1 Feb 1, 1958 US and Canada: $2.2M Rest of the world: $37.6K Worldwide: $2.3M
- 2 Sep 3, 1949 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: $354.5K Worldwide: $1.4M
- 3 Aug 10, 1950 US and Canada: $299.6K Rest of the world: $10.5K Worldwide: $310.1K
- 4 Sep 6, 1946 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $117.1K
- 5 Aug 1, 1935 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $54.1K
- 6
Jun 30, 1951 US and Canada: $26.6K Rest of the world: $25.4K Worldwide: $52K - 7
Aug 31, 1946 US and Canada: $25.6K Rest of the world: $25.5K Worldwide: $51.1K - 8
Oct 18, 1941 US and Canada: $18.2K Rest of the world: $21.9K Worldwide: $40.1K - 9
May 12, 1950 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $29.9K - 10
Jul 6, 1944 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $21K - 11
Dec 28, 1945 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $19.3K - 12
Jan 20, 1950 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $17.3K - 13
Feb 1, 1953 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $16.4K - 14
Jan 20, 1945 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $12.5K - 15
Oct 20, 1945 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $11.8K - 16
Sep 27, 1947 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $9.7K - 17
Jul 27, 1955 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $6.3K - 18
Sep 3, 1949 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.5K - 19
May 4, 1944 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.4K - 20
Jan 15, 1943 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $875 - 21
Apr 15, 1950 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $511 - 22
Jan 26, 1957 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $494 - 23
Jun 6, 1956 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $380 - 24
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)May 2, 1946 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $380
May 2, 1946 · English · Drama, Mystery, Thriller $380 worldwide - 25
Oct 28, 1947 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $337 - 26
Jan 16, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $122
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Biggest Film-Noir Movies Make Their Money?
Of the top 10, Touch of Evil (1958) earned the biggest share at home (98% in the US & Canada), while The Maltese Falcon (1941) made 55% of its gross abroad. Across all 26 films, $3.7M (82%) came from the US & Canada. 4 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Touch of Evil (1958) $2.3M $2.2M US & Canada · 98% $37.6K elsewhere · 2%
- 2 The Third Man (1949) $1.4M $1.1M US & Canada · 75% $354.5K elsewhere · 25%
- 3 Sunset Boulevard (1950) $310.1K $299.6K US & Canada · 97% $10.5K elsewhere · 3%
- 4 Notorious (1946) $117.1K No US & Canada figure reported
- 5 The 39 Steps (1935) $54.1K No US & Canada figure reported
- 6 Strangers on a Train (1951) $52K $26.6K US & Canada · 51% $25.4K elsewhere · 49%
- 7 The Big Sleep (1946) $51.1K $25.6K US & Canada · 50% $25.5K elsewhere · 50%
- 8 The Maltese Falcon (1941) $40.1K $18.2K US & Canada · 45% $21.9K elsewhere · 55%
- 9 The Asphalt Jungle (1950) $29.9K No US & Canada figure reported
- 10 Double Indemnity (1944) $21K No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many Film-Noir Movies Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 26 films reached $100M. 26 films, 100% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $4.5M 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 26 films, 100% of the list $4.5M · 100% of the gross
By decade
Which Decade's Film-Noir Movies Earned the Most?
Films released in the 1950s lead with $2.7M from 10 titles, led by Touch of Evil (1958). Each column links to the decade's biggest year.
Biggest years
Which Years Had the Highest-Grossing Film-Noir Movies?
1958 releases earned the most: $2.3M from 1 film, led by Touch of Evil (1958). The 10 biggest years, each linking to its chart.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 1 film | 1 | $2.3M | Touch of Evil (1958) $2.3M |
| 1949 2 films | 2 | $1.4M | The Third Man (1949) $1.4M |
| 1950 4 films | 4 | $357.8K | Sunset Boulevard (1950) $310.1K |
| 1946 3 films | 3 | $168.5K | Notorious (1946) $117.1K |
| 1935 1 film | 1 | $54.1K | The 39 Steps (1935) $54.1K |
| 1951 1 film | 1 | $52K | Strangers on a Train (1951) $52K |
| 1945 3 films | 3 | $43.5K | Spellbound (1945) $19.3K |
| 1941 1 film | 1 | $40.1K | The Maltese Falcon (1941) $40.1K |
| 1944 2 films | 2 | $23.4K | Double Indemnity (1944) $21K |
| 1953 1 film | 1 | $16.4K | Niagara (1953) $16.4K |
Archive
Film-Noir Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1935 to 1958 with its total and its biggest film. 1958 leads with $2.3M, led by Touch of Evil (1958).
1950s 7 years · $2.7M
1940s 8 years · $1.7M
1930s 1 year · $54.1K
FAQ
Film-Noir Box Office All Time: 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 26 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing film-noir movie of all time?
Touch of Evil (1958) leads with $2.3M worldwide, $2.2M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Third Man (1949) at $1.4M and Sunset Boulevard (1950) at $310.1K.
How much have film-noir movies earned at the box office?
26 film-noir films in our database report a worldwide gross, $4.5M in all, or $172.6K per film on average.
How many film-noir movies have made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Touch of Evil (1958), earned $2.3M.
How is the all-time film-noir 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. 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 all-time film-noir 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.