#1 of 3 #1 movie of December 1959
1959 · Sci-Fi, Drama
$11.3K worldwide · 60% of the chart's total
No US & Canada figure reported
Box office · December 1959
December 1959 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing December Releases
On the Beach (1959) is the highest-grossing movie released in December 1959, with $11.3K worldwide, ahead of Pickpocket (1959) at $7.5K and Our Man in Havana (1959) at $114. 3 films released in December 1959 report a worldwide gross, $18.9K in all.
- December 1959 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $18.9K
- On the Beach (1959), the #1
- $11.3K
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Hits of December 1959?
On the Beach (1959) leads with $11.3K, 60% of the total. The top 3 together took $18.9K, 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 Release of December 1959, 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 1959.
- 1 Dec 17, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $11.3K
- 2 Dec 16, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $7.5K
- 3 Dec 30, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $114
By release week
Which Week of December 1959 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 13–19) took $18.8K, led by On the Beach (1959). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 On the Beach (1959) $18.8K On the Beach (1959)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 27–31 Our Man in Havana (1959) $114 Our Man in Havana (1959)
Earlier years
How Does December 1959 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1957 earned the most: $27.2M from 4 films, led by The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). December 1959 took $18.9K.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1950 3 films | 3 | $15.9K | – | Rabbit of Seville (1950) $14.8K |
| December 1951 4 films · +12136% | 4 | $2M | +12136% | The Girl on the Bridge (1951) $1.7M |
| December 1952 3 films · −100% | 3 | $3.7K | −100% | Moulin Rouge (1952) $3.2K |
| December 1953 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1954 5 films | 5 | $42.8K | – | Vera Cruz (1954) $18.1K |
| December 1955 4 films · +5% | 4 | $44.8K | +5% | Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) $21.3K |
| December 1956 2 films · −68% | 2 | $14.2K | −68% | Written on the Wind (1956) $14.2K |
| December 1957 4 films · +191463% | 4 | $27.2M | +191463% | The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) $27.2M |
| December 1958 2 films · −100% | 2 | $86.3K | −100% | The Hidden Fortress (1958) $57.7K |
| December 1959 3 films · −78% | 3 | $18.9K | −78% | On the Beach (1959) $11.3K |
Archive
Box Office in 1959, Month by Month
The months of 1959 with their totals: November leads with $74.5M, led by Ben-Hur (1959).
- January $51.6M #1 Sleeping Beauty (1959)
- February No grosses
- March $213.8K #1 Some Like It Hot (1959)
- April $28K #1 Rio Bravo (1959)
- May $438.5K #1 The 400 Blows (1959)
- June No grosses
- July $1K #1 Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
- August $289.7K #1 North by Northwest (1959)
- September $34.4K #1 Maigret and the St. Fiacre Case (1959)
- October $30K #1 Solomon and Sheba (1959)
- November $74.5M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- December $18.9K #1 On the Beach (1959)
FAQ
Box Office December 1959: 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 movie in December 1959?
On the Beach (1959) leads with $11.3K worldwide. Next come Pickpocket (1959) at $7.5K and Our Man in Havana (1959) at $114.
How much did movies released in December 1959 earn?
3 films released in December 1959 report a worldwide gross, $18.9K in all, or $6.3K per film on average.
How many movies released in December 1959 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, On the Beach (1959), earned $11.3K.
How is the December 1959 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 1959. 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 1959 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.