#1 of 3 #1 history movie of 1959
1959 · Adventure, Drama
$74.4M worldwide · 100% of the chart's total
$74.4M US & Canada · 100% $6.7K elsewhere · <1%
History box office · 1959
History Box Office 1959: Highest-Grossing History Movies
Ben-Hur (1959) is the highest-grossing history movie released in 1959, with $74.4M worldwide, ahead of Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) at $139.9K and Solomon and Sheba (1959) at $16.1K. 3 history films released in 1959 report a worldwide gross, $74.6M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada.
- 1959 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $74.6M
- Ben-Hur (1959), the #1
- $74.4M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest History Hits of 1959?
Ben-Hur (1959) leads with $74.4M, 100% of the total. The top 3 together took $74.6M, 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 History Release of 1959, 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 1959.
- 1 Nov 18, 1959 US and Canada: $74.4M Rest of the world: $6.7K Worldwide: $74.4M
- 2 May 8, 1959 US and Canada: $96.4K Rest of the world: $43.5K Worldwide: $139.9K
- 3 Oct 27, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $16.1K
By release month
Which Month of 1959 Earned the Most?
November releases took the most, $74.4M from 1 film, led by Ben-Hur (1959). October was the quietest month ($16.1K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) $139.9K Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959)
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct Solomon and Sheba (1959) $16.1K Solomon and Sheba (1959)
- November Nov Ben-Hur (1959) $74.4M Ben-Hur (1959)
- December Dec No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Last 10 years
How Does 1959 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1959 earned the most: $74.6M from 3 films, led by Ben-Hur (1959).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 2 films | 2 | $10.9K | – | The Flame and the Arrow (1950) $6.7K |
| 1951 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1952 1 film | 1 | $280.5K | – | Les Miserables (1952) $280.5K |
| 1953 3 films · +12743% | 3 | $36M | +12743% | The Robe (1953) $36M |
| 1954 3 films · −100% | 3 | $26.6K | −100% | Knights of the Round Table (1954) $14K |
| 1955 3 films · +3328% | 3 | $911.1K | +3328% | The Dam Busters (1955) $765.4K |
| 1956 3 films · +7094% | 3 | $65.5M | +7094% | The Ten Commandments (1956) $65.5M |
| 1957 3 films · −100% | 3 | $68K | −100% | Throne of Blood (1957) $61.1K |
| 1958 3 films · −44% | 3 | $38.4K | −44% | The Vikings (1958) $37.6K |
| 1959 3 films · +194296% | 3 | $74.6M | +194296% | Ben-Hur (1959) $74.4M |
Archive
History Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1918 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2023 leads with $2.8B, led by Oppenheimer (2023).
2020s 7 years · $6.8B
2010s 10 years · $11.6B
- 2019 $1.8B #1 My People, My Country (2019)
- 2018 $1.2B #1 Green Book (2018)
- 2017 $1.7B #1 Dunkirk (2017)
- 2016 $1.8B #1 Dangal (2016)
- 2015 $1.1B #1 Everest (2015)
- 2014 $528.3M #1 Unbroken (2014)
- 2013 $969.9M #1 American Hustle (2013)
- 2012 $1.2B #1 Lincoln (2012)
- 2011 $413.7M #1 Beginning of the Great Revival (2011)
- 2010 $881.6M #1 The King's Speech (2010)
2000s 10 years · $6.7B
- 2009 $638.5M #1 Public Enemies (2009)
- 2008 $943.6M #1 Australia (2008)
- 2007 $426.8M #1 Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
- 2006 $744.1M #1 World Trade Center (2006)
- 2005 $796.9M #1 Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
- 2004 $1.2B #1 The Passion of the Christ (2004)
- 2003 $666.9M #1 The Last Samurai (2003)
- 2002 $630M #1 Gangs of New York (2002)
- 2001 $103.7M #1 Enemy at the Gates (2001)
- 2000 $565.8M #1 Gladiator (2000)
1990s 10 years · $2.6B
- 1999 $183.1M #1 Anna and the King (1999)
- 1998 $353.8M #1 The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
- 1997 $207.8M #1 Seven Years in Tibet (1997)
- 1996 $40.4M #1 Ghosts of Mississippi (1996)
- 1995 $980.4M #1 Apollo 13 (1995)
- 1994 $52.8M #1 Quiz Show (1994)
- 1993 $420M #1 Schindler's List (1993)
- 1992 $58M #1 Malcolm X (1992)
- 1991 $223M #1 JFK (1991)
- 1990 $42.6M #1 Glory (1990)
1980s 10 years · $628.2M
- 1989 $24.8M #1 Henry V (1989)
- 1988 $70.4M #1 Gorillas in the Mist (1988)
- 1987 $157.2M #1 The Untouchables (1987)
- 1986 $23.6M #1 The Mission (1986)
- 1985 $73.7M #1 The Killing Fields (1985)
- 1984 $63.8M #1 Amadeus (1984)
- 1983 $74M #1 Gandhi (1983)
- 1982 $53.3M #1 Quest for Fire (1982)
- 1981 $83.5M #1 Reds (1981)
- 1980 $4M #1 Kagemusha (1980)
1970s 9 years · $171.8M
- 1979 $1.9M #1 Zulu Dawn (1979)
- 1978 $15.9M #1 American Hot Wax (1978)
- 1977 $50.8M #1 A Bridge Too Far (1977)
- 1976 $70.8M #1 All the President's Men (1976)
- 1975 $416.1K #1 Barry Lyndon (1975)
- 1974 $103.4K #1 Edvard Munch (1974)
- 1972 $37.8K #1 Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
- 1971 $3.1K #1 The Devils (1971)
- 1970 $31.9M #1 Little Big Man (1970)
1960s 10 years · $108.7M
- 1969 $1M #1 Army of Shadows (1969)
- 1968 $20.1K #1 The Lion in Winter (1968)
- 1967 $316 #1 In Cold Blood (1967)
- 1966 $1.1M #1 The Battle of Algiers (1966)
- 1965 $162.9K #1 War and Peace (1965)
- 1964 $149.3K #1 Becket (1964)
- 1963 $58M #1 Cleopatra (1963)
- 1962 $46M #1 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- 1961 $350K #1 The Colossus of Rhodes (1961)
- 1960 $1.9M #1 Spartacus (1960)
1950s 9 years · $177.5M
- 1959 $74.6M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- 1958 $38.4K #1 The Vikings (1958)
- 1957 $68K #1 Throne of Blood (1957)
- 1956 $65.5M #1 The Ten Commandments (1956)
- 1955 $911.1K #1 The Dam Busters (1955)
- 1954 $26.6K #1 Knights of the Round Table (1954)
- 1953 $36M #1 The Robe (1953)
- 1952 $280.5K #1 Les Miserables (1952)
- 1950 $10.9K #1 The Flame and the Arrow (1950)
1940s 5 years · $402.5M
1930s 4 years · $29.1K
1920s 3 years · $124.9K
1910s 1 year · $9.7K
FAQ
History Box Office 1959: 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 history movie in 1959?
Ben-Hur (1959) leads with $74.4M worldwide, $74.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) at $139.9K and Solomon and Sheba (1959) at $16.1K.
How much did history movies released in 1959 earn?
3 history films released in 1959 report a worldwide gross, $74.6M in all, or $24.9M per film on average.
How many history movies released in 1959 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Ben-Hur (1959), earned $74.4M.
How is the 1959 history 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 1959. 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 1959 history 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.