#1 of 7 #1 French-language movie of 1981
1981 · Drama, War
$6.3M worldwide · 97% of the chart's total
$6.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
French box office · 1981
French Box Office 1981: Highest-Grossing French Movies
The Boy Soldier (1981) is the highest-grossing French-language movie released in 1981, with $6.3M worldwide, ahead of Diva (1981) at $183.4K and Le Pont du Nord (1981) at $17.1K. 7 French-language films released in 1981 report a worldwide gross, $6.5M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 16% on 1980, whose releases took $7.8M. By genre, Drama leads with $6.5M across 7 French releases.
- 1981 releases with a gross
- 7
- combined worldwide
- $6.5M
- The Boy Soldier (1981), the #1
- $6.3M
- vs 1980
- −16%
#1 of 7 Top 5
What Were the Biggest French Hits of 1981?
The Boy Soldier (1981) leads with $6.3M, 97% of the total. The top 5 together took $6.5M, almost all of what the 7 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 French Release of 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 1981.
- 1 Mar 4, 1981 US and Canada: $6.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.3M
- 2 Mar 11, 1981 US and Canada: $183.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $183.4K
- 3 Oct 7, 1981 US and Canada: $17.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.1K
- 4 Oct 25, 1981 US and Canada: $12K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12K
- 5 Mar 4, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $923
- 6
Sep 30, 1981 US and Canada: $509 Rest of the world: Worldwide: $509 - 7
Dec 2, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $406
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1981?
Of the top 7, The Boy Soldier (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Woman Next Door (1981) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 7 films, $6.5M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 2 films of the top 7 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Boy Soldier (1981) $6.3M $6.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Diva (1981) $183.4K $183.4K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Le Pont du Nord (1981) $17.1K $17.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Quartet (1981) $12K $12K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 The Aviator’s Wife (1981) $923 No US & Canada figure reported
- 6 The Woman Next Door (1981) $509 $509 US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Hotel America (1981) $406 No US & Canada figure reported
By release month
Which Month of 1981 Earned the Most?
March releases took the most, $6.5M from 3 films, led by The Boy Soldier (1981). December was the quietest month ($406). 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 The Boy Soldier (1981) $6.5M The Boy Soldier (1981)
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- 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 The Woman Next Door (1981) $509 The Woman Next Door (1981)
- October Oct Le Pont du Nord (1981) $29.2K Le Pont du Nord (1981)
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec Hotel America (1981) $406 Hotel America (1981)
Last 10 years
How Does 1981 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1979 earned the most: $20.4M from 3 films, led by La Cage aux Folles (1979). 1981 took $6.5M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 6 films | 6 | $170K | – | The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) $103.2K |
| 1973 3 films · −70% | 3 | $50.6K | −70% | The Mother and the Whore (1973) $47.3K |
| 1974 6 films · +56% | 6 | $79K | +56% | Parade (1974) $50.7K |
| 1975 5 films · +14163% | 5 | $11.3M | +14163% | The Smurfs and the Magic Flute (1975) $11.2M |
| 1976 3 films · −98% | 3 | $271.7K | −98% | Mr. Klein (1976) $219.1K |
| 1977 5 films · +2584% | 5 | $7.3M | +2584% | Animal (1977) $7.2M |
| 1978 3 films · −100% | 3 | $26.4K | −100% | The Song of Roland (1978) $24.1K |
| 1979 3 films · +77355% | 3 | $20.4M | +77355% | La Cage aux Folles (1979) $20.4M |
| 1980 7 films · −62% | 7 | $7.8M | −62% | La Cage aux Folles II (1980) $7M |
| 1981 7 films · −16% | 7 | $6.5M | −16% | The Boy Soldier (1981) $6.3M |
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 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 7 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing French-language movie in 1981?
The Boy Soldier (1981) leads with $6.3M worldwide, $6.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Diva (1981) at $183.4K and Le Pont du Nord (1981) at $17.1K.
How much did French-language movies released in 1981 earn?
7 French-language films released in 1981 report a worldwide gross, $6.5M in all, or $934.7K per film on average. 1980 releases took $7.8M.
How many French-language movies released in 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Boy Soldier (1981), earned $6.3M.
How is the 1981 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 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, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.
How often is the 1981 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.