#1 of 3 #1 romance movie of October 1981
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)
1981 · Drama, Romance
$26.9M worldwide · 59% of the chart's total
$26.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Romance box office · October 1981
Romance Box Office, October 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) is the highest-grossing romance movie released in October 1981, with $26.9M worldwide, ahead of Paternity (1981) at $18.8M and Quartet (1981) at $12K. 3 romance films released in October 1981 report a worldwide gross, $45.7M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada.
- October 1981 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $45.7M
- The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), the #1
- $26.9M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Romance Hits of October 1981?
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) leads with $26.9M, 59% of the total. The top 3 together took $45.7M, 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 Romance 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 2, 1981 US and Canada: $18.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.8M
- 3 Oct 25, 1981 US and Canada: $12K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in October 1981?
Of the top 3, The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Quartet (1981) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $45.7M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) $26.9M $26.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Paternity (1981) $18.8M $18.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Quartet (1981) $12K $12K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
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 Paternity (1981) $18.8M Paternity (1981)
- Week 41 Wk 41 Oct 4–10 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- 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 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- 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: $110.5M from 2 films, led by 10 (1979). October 1981 took $45.7M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1972 1 film | 1 | $3.7K | – | Indian Summer (1972) $3.7K |
| October 1973 3 films · +1210156% | 3 | $45.1M | +1210156% | The Way We Were (1973) $45M |
| October 1974 1 film · −12% | 1 | $39.6M | −12% | Benji (1974) $39.6M |
| October 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1976 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1977 1 film | 1 | $22.5M | – | Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) $22.5M |
| October 1978 2 films · −24% | 2 | $17M | −24% | Comes a Horseman (1978) $9.6M |
| October 1979 2 films · +549% | 2 | $110.5M | +549% | 10 (1979) $74.9M |
| October 1980 4 films · −84% | 4 | $17.6M | −84% | Somewhere in Time (1980) $9.7M |
| October 1981 3 films · +159% | 3 | $45.7M | +159% | The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) $26.9M |
Archive
Romance Box Office in 1981, Month by Month
The months of 1981 with their totals: June leads with $216.4M, led by Superman II (1981).
- January $8.4K #1 Lili Marleen (1981)
- February $6.4M #1 Eyewitness (1981)
- March $31.5M #1 The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
- April $81.8M #1 Excalibur (1981)
- May $50.4M #1 The Four Seasons (1981)
- June $216.4M #1 Superman II (1981)
- July $145.5M #1 Arthur (1981)
- August $927.1K #1 On Trial (1981)
- September $15.6M #1 Continental Divide (1981)
- October $45.7M #1 The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)
- November No grosses
- December $94.1M #1 Absence of Malice (1981)
FAQ
Romance 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 3 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing romance 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 Paternity (1981) at $18.8M and Quartet (1981) at $12K.
How much did romance movies released in October 1981 earn?
3 romance films released in October 1981 report a worldwide gross, $45.7M in all, or $15.2M per film on average.
How many romance 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 romance 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 romance 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.