#1 of 5 #1 romance movie of December 1981
1981 · Drama, Thriller
$40.7M worldwide · 43% of the chart's total
$40.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Romance box office · December 1981
Romance Box Office, December 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
Absence of Malice (1981) is the highest-grossing romance movie released in December 1981, with $40.7M worldwide, ahead of Reds (1981) at $40.4M and Rollover (1981) at $10.9M. 5 romance films released in December 1981 report a worldwide gross, $94.1M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. By language, English leads with $94.1M across 4 romance releases.
- December 1981 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $94.1M
- Absence of Malice (1981), the #1
- $40.7M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Romance Hits of December 1981?
Absence of Malice (1981) leads with $40.7M, 43% of the total. The top 5 together took $94.1M, almost all of what the 5 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 Romance 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 18, 1981 US and Canada: $40.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $40.7M
- 2 Dec 25, 1981 US and Canada: $40.4M Rest of the world: $129 Worldwide: $40.4M
- 3 Dec 11, 1981 US and Canada: $10.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.9M
- 4 Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $2.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.2M
- 5 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 5, Absence of Malice (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Reds (1981) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $94.1M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 5 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Absence of Malice (1981) $40.7M $40.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Reds (1981) $40.4M $40.4M US & Canada · 100% $129 elsewhere · <1%
- 3 Rollover (1981) $10.9M $10.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Heartbeeps (1981) $2.2M $2.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Hotel America (1981) $406 No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of December 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 13–19) took $42.9M, led by Absence of Malice (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 Hotel America (1981) $406 Hotel America (1981)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 Rollover (1981) $10.9M Rollover (1981)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 Absence of Malice (1981) $42.9M Absence of Malice (1981)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 Reds (1981) $40.4M 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 1977 earned the most: $237.1M from 1 film, led by Saturday Night Fever (1977). December 1981 took $94.1M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1972 1 film | 1 | $22.8K | – | Avanti! (1972) $22.8K |
| December 1973 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1974 2 films | 2 | $18.6M | – | Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) $18.6M |
| December 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1976 2 films | 2 | $131.1M | – | A Star Is Born (1976) $80M |
| December 1977 1 film · +81% | 1 | $237.1M | +81% | Saturday Night Fever (1977) $237.1M |
| December 1978 1 film · −95% | 1 | $11M | −95% | Moment by Moment (1978) $11M |
| December 1979 4 films · +523% | 4 | $68.3M | +523% | The Electric Horseman (1979) $61.8M |
| December 1980 5 films · +106% | 5 | $141M | +106% | Popeye (1980) $49.8M |
| December 1981 5 films · −33% | 5 | $94.1M | −33% | Absence of Malice (1981) $40.7M |
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 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 5 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing romance movie in December 1981?
Absence of Malice (1981) leads with $40.7M worldwide, $40.7M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Reds (1981) at $40.4M and Rollover (1981) at $10.9M.
How much did romance movies released in December 1981 earn?
5 romance films released in December 1981 report a worldwide gross, $94.1M in all, or $18.8M per film on average.
How many romance movies released in December 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Absence of Malice (1981), earned $40.7M.
How is the December 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 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 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.