#1 of 4 #1 French-language movie of 1956
1956 · Comedy, Family
$49K worldwide · 69% of the chart's total
$34.6K US & Canada · 71% $14.4K elsewhere · 29%
French box office · 1956
French Box Office 1956: Highest-Grossing French Movies
The Red Balloon (1956) is the highest-grossing French-language movie released in 1956, with $49K worldwide, ahead of Bob le Flambeur (1956) at $16.2K and Elena and Her Men (1956) at $5.6K. 4 French-language films released in 1956 report a worldwide gross, $71.1K in all, 71% of it from the US & Canada.
- 1956 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $71.1K
- The Red Balloon (1956), the #1
- $49K
- earned in the US & Canada
- 71%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest French Hits of 1956?
The Red Balloon (1956) leads with $49K, 69% of the total. The top 4 together took $71.1K, almost all of what the 4 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every French Release of 1956, 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 1956.
- 1 May 3, 1956 US and Canada: $34.6K Rest of the world: $14.4K Worldwide: $49K
- 2 Aug 24, 1956 US and Canada: $15.6K Rest of the world: $566 Worldwide: $16.2K
- 3 Sep 12, 1956 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.6K
- 4 Sep 21, 1956 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $384
By release month
Which Month of 1956 Earned the Most?
May releases took the most, $49K from 1 film, led by The Red Balloon (1956). September was the quietest month ($6K). 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 The Red Balloon (1956) $49K The Red Balloon (1956)
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug Bob le Flambeur (1956) $16.2K Bob le Flambeur (1956)
- September Sep Elena and Her Men (1956) $6K Elena and Her Men (1956)
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Last 10 years
How Does 1956 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1953 earned the most: $567.6K from 6 films, led by Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday (1953). 1956 took $71.1K.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 2 films | 2 | $60.4K | – | School for Postmen (1947) $50.7K |
| 1948 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1949 1 film | 1 | $11.3K | – | Rendezvous in July (1949) $11.3K |
| 1950 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1951 3 films | 3 | $57.8K | – | Diary of a Country Priest (1951) $47K |
| 1952 3 films · −9% | 3 | $52.6K | −9% | Forbidden Games (1952) $33.9K |
| 1953 6 films · +979% | 6 | $567.6K | +979% | Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday (1953) $257K |
| 1954 1 film · −100% | 1 | $2.6K | −100% | Sabrina (1954) $2.6K |
| 1955 4 films · +20798% | 4 | $550.7K | +20798% | Rififi (1955) $525.8K |
| 1956 4 films · −87% | 4 | $71.1K | −87% | The Red Balloon (1956) $49K |
Archive
French Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1931 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2012 leads with $937.3M, led by The Intouchables (2012).
2020s 7 years · $1.5B
2010s 10 years · $4.4B
- 2019 $333.6M #1 Sink or Swim (2019)
- 2018 $573.5M #1 Family Is Family (2018)
- 2017 $279.5M #1 Alibi.com (2017)
- 2016 $406.2M #1 Two Is a Family (2016)
- 2015 $237.2M #1 Serial Teachers 2 (2015)
- 2014 $390.6M #1 Superchondriac (2014)
- 2013 $339.5M #1 Serial Teachers (2013)
- 2012 $937.3M #1 The Intouchables (2012)
- 2011 $318.5M #1 Of Gods and Men (2011)
- 2010 $589.4M #1 Nothing to Declare (2010)
2000s 10 years · $3.5B
- 2009 $422.6M #1 Little Nicholas (2009)
- 2008 $586M #1 Welcome to the Sticks (2008)
- 2007 $439.2M #1 La Vie en Rose (2007)
- 2006 $292.3M #1 French Fried Vacations 3: Friends Forever (2006)
- 2005 $271.9M #1 The Chorus (2005)
- 2004 $379.9M #1 A Very Long Engagement (2004)
- 2003 $338.9M #1 Taxi 3 (2003)
- 2002 $334.8M #1 Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002)
- 2001 $358.1M #1 Amélie (2001)
- 2000 $102.4M #1 Taxi 2 (2000)
1990s 10 years · $113.6M
- 1999 $10.5M #1 Elvis Gratton 2: Miracle à Memphis (1999)
- 1998 $28M #1 The Big Hit (1998)
- 1997 $1.1M #1 Artemisia (1997)
- 1996 $20.5M #1 The Eighth Day (1996)
- 1995 $5.6M #1 The City of Lost Children (1995)
- 1994 $8M #1 Three Colors: Red (1994)
- 1993 $3.3M #1 Three Colors: Blue (1993)
- 1992 $11.7M #1 Indochine (1992)
- 1991 $11.1M #1 La Femme Nikita (1991)
- 1990 $13.7M #1 Cyrano de Bergerac (1990)
1980s 10 years · $128M
- 1989 $17M #1 Family Business (1989)
- 1988 $18.1M #1 Dead Ringers (1988)
- 1987 $7.3M #1 Maurice (1987)
- 1986 $31.6M #1 Disorder (1986)
- 1985 $11.8M #1 Brazil (1985)
- 1984 $2.8M #1 A Sunday in the Country (1984)
- 1983 $13.6M #1 Without a Trace (1983)
- 1982 $11.5M #1 The Beast Within (1982)
- 1981 $6.5M #1 The Boy Soldier (1981)
- 1980 $7.8M #1 La Cage aux Folles II (1980)
1970s 10 years · $40.3M
- 1979 $20.4M #1 La Cage aux Folles (1979)
- 1978 $26.4K #1 The Song of Roland (1978)
- 1977 $7.3M #1 Animal (1977)
- 1976 $271.7K #1 Mr. Klein (1976)
- 1975 $11.3M #1 The Smurfs and the Magic Flute (1975)
- 1974 $79K #1 Parade (1974)
- 1973 $50.6K #1 The Mother and the Whore (1973)
- 1972 $170K #1 The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
- 1971 $113.3K #1 Four Nights of a Dreamer (1971)
- 1970 $641.3K #1 Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
1960s 10 years · $17.5M
- 1969 $1.3M #1 Army of Shadows (1969)
- 1968 $47.8K #1 The Bride Wore Black (1968)
- 1967 $4.8M #1 Belle de Jour (1967)
- 1966 $564.1K #1 Masculine Feminine (1966)
- 1965 $269K #1 Pierrot le Fou (1965)
- 1964 $204.7K #1 The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
- 1963 $1.4M #1 Contempt (1963)
- 1962 $648K #1 Jules and Jim (1962)
- 1961 $6.9M #1 The Taste of Violence (1961)
- 1960 $1.3M #1 Breathless (1960)
1950s 9 years · $2.2M
- 1959 $471.7K #1 The 400 Blows (1959)
- 1958 $431.8K #1 Elevator to the Gallows (1958)
- 1957 $15.1K #1 He Who Must Die (1957)
- 1956 $71.1K #1 The Red Balloon (1956)
- 1955 $550.7K #1 Rififi (1955)
- 1954 $2.6K #1 Sabrina (1954)
- 1953 $567.6K #1 Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday (1953)
- 1952 $52.6K #1 Forbidden Games (1952)
- 1951 $57.8K #1 Diary of a Country Priest (1951)
1940s 6 years · $456.7K
FAQ
French Box Office 1956: 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 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing French-language movie in 1956?
The Red Balloon (1956) leads with $49K worldwide, $34.6K of it in the US & Canada. Next come Bob le Flambeur (1956) at $16.2K and Elena and Her Men (1956) at $5.6K.
How much did French-language movies released in 1956 earn?
4 French-language films released in 1956 report a worldwide gross, $71.1K in all, or $17.8K per film on average.
How many French-language movies released in 1956 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Red Balloon (1956), earned $49K.
How is the 1956 French 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 1956. 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 1956 French 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.