#1 of 3 #1 English-language movie of May 1974
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)
1974 · Drama, Comedy
$21.7M worldwide · 99% of the chart's total
$21.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
English box office · May 1974
English Box Office, May 1974: Top-Grossing Releases
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in May 1974, with $21.7M worldwide, ahead of A Poem Is a Naked Person (1974) at $96.8K and Hearts and Minds (1974) at $28.8K. 3 English-language films released in May 1974 report a worldwide gross, $21.8M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 76% on April 1974, whose releases took $12.4M.
- May 1974 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $21.8M
- Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974), the #1
- $21.7M
- vs April 1974
- +76%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest English Hits of May 1974?
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) leads with $21.7M, 99% of the total. The top 3 together took $21.8M, 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 English Release of May 1974, 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 May 1974.
- 1 May 24, 1974 US and Canada: $21.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.7M
- 2 May 9, 1974 US and Canada: $96.6K Rest of the world: $183 Worldwide: $96.8K
- 3 May 16, 1974 US and Canada: $28.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $28.8K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1974?
Of the top 3, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while A Poem Is a Naked Person (1974) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $21.8M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) $21.7M $21.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 A Poem Is a Naked Person (1974) $96.8K $96.6K US & Canada · 100% $183 elsewhere · <1%
- 3 Hearts and Minds (1974) $28.8K $28.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of May 1974 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 19–25) took $21.7M, led by Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 28–May 4 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 5–11 A Poem Is a Naked Person (1974) $96.8K A Poem Is a Naked Person (1974)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 12–18 Hearts and Minds (1974) $28.8K Hearts and Minds (1974)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 19–25 Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) $21.7M Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 26–Jun 1 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1974 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1968 earned the most: $44.9M from 4 films, led by The Odd Couple (1968). May 1974 took $21.8M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1965 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1966 1 film | 1 | $170 | – | Modesty Blaise (1966) $170 |
| May 1967 4 films · +3671298% | 4 | $6.2M | +3671298% | The War Wagon (1967) $6M |
| May 1968 4 films · +620% | 4 | $44.9M | +620% | The Odd Couple (1968) $44.5M |
| May 1969 1 film · ±0% | 1 | $44.8M | ±0% | Midnight Cowboy (1969) $44.8M |
| May 1970 2 films · −28% | 2 | $32.3M | −28% | Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) $19M |
| May 1971 3 films · −61% | 3 | $12.6M | −61% | Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) $12.3M |
| May 1972 2 films · −100% | 2 | $16.8K | −100% | Play It Again, Sam (1972) $15.4K |
| May 1973 4 films · −45% | 4 | $9.2K | −45% | Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) $8.5K |
| May 1974 3 films · +237186% | 3 | $21.8M | +237186% | Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) $21.7M |
Archive
English Box Office in 1974, Month by Month
The months of 1974 with their totals: December leads with $289.8M, led by The Towering Inferno (1974).
- January $5.1K #1 Stone (1974)
- February $119.6M #1 Blazing Saddles (1974)
- March $20.6M #1 The Great Gatsby (1974)
- April $12.4M #1 The Sugarland Express (1974)
- May $21.8M #1 Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)
- June $94.9M #1 Herbie Rides Again (1974)
- July $22M #1 Death Wish (1974)
- August $43M #1 The Longest Yard (1974)
- September $653 #1 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
- October $70.6M #1 Benji (1974)
- November $42.8K #1 A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
- December $289.8M #1 The Towering Inferno (1974)
FAQ
English Box Office May 1974: 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 English-language movie in May 1974?
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) leads with $21.7M worldwide, $21.7M of it in the US & Canada. Next come A Poem Is a Naked Person (1974) at $96.8K and Hearts and Minds (1974) at $28.8K.
How much did English-language movies released in May 1974 earn?
3 English-language films released in May 1974 report a worldwide gross, $21.8M in all, or $7.3M per film on average. April 1974 releases took $12.4M.
How many English-language movies released in May 1974 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974), earned $21.7M.
How is the May 1974 English 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 May 1974. 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, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.
How often is the May 1974 English 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.