1971 Movies

Finding box office information for movies made before 1980 is not an easy task.   For somebody looking for box office information on 1970 it is very very frustrating.  Over the years, we have researched and collected information on over 36,000 movies.  So we figured we would show all the 1971 movies in our database.

To make this list a movie had to be made in 1971.  This page will looks at 127 1971 Top Box Office Movies.  The movies are listed in a massive table that lets you rank the movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information.    This only represents about 40% of the movies made in 1971….but should cover the top box office movies.

Our UMR Top 50 of 1971

1971 Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table

The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.

  • Sort 1971 Movies by movie titles and movie trailers
  • Sort 1971 Movies by the stars or in some cases the director of the movie.
  • Sort 1971 Movies by domestic adjusted box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
  • Sort 1971 Movies how they were received by critics and audiences.  60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
  • Sort by how many Oscar® nominations each 1971 Movies received and how many Oscar® wins each 1971 Movies received.
  • Sort 1971 Movies by Ultimate Movie Ranking Score (UMR).  Our UMR score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
 
1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Top earners in 1971 for Adjusted USA Box Office:

My Main Sources

Source 1: Variety – January 5th, 1972, January 7th, 1973

Source 2: Twentieth Century-Fox A Corporate and Financial History by Aubrey Solomon

Source 3:  Wikipedia

Source 4:  IMDb.com

Source 5:  BoxOfficeMojo.com

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23 thoughts on “1971 Movies

  1. Hey Dan. Wonderful memories of little Danny and movies. Wow…Bananas seems like a pretty harmless comedy….hard to believe it would be gotten a lot of censorship back in the early 1970s. Trying to sneak into R rated movies…..good that they were able to keep you away from that sex in your early years….lol. Massive list of the movies you have seen since 1992. Got me easily beat. As always thanks for sharing this information.

  2. I have seen 33 movies from 1971. That is up 4 movies from 1970, but the general trend is still going to be a decrease.

    The highest rated film I have seen is The French Connection at Number 1. I’m not sure how many more number 1 movies I will have seen in these yearly reviews.

    The highest rated film I have NOT seen is A Clockwork Orange.

    The lowest rated film I have seen is Chandler at 128.

    I have not seen the Gregory Peck movie Shoot Out released in 1971. The only other Peck titles I am missing are Amazing Grace and Chuck and a TV movie entitled The Portrait.

    My Viewing By Percentages Up To Top 50 Are:

    7 of the top 10: back above 50%! : not seen A Clock Work Orange, Carnal Knowledge or Nicholas and Alexandra
    13 of the top 20
    18 of the top 30
    24 of the top 40
    25 of the top 50

    My 12 Favourite 1971 Movies Are:

    Play Misty For Me
    The French Connection
    Dirty Harry
    The Last Picture Show
    Diamonds Are Forever
    Support Your Local Gunfighter
    Fiddler on the Roof
    Get Carter
    Shaft
    Escape From the Planet of the Apes
    And Now For Something Completely Different
    Fistful of Dynamite/Duck You Sucker

    1. Hey Flora…..thanks for sharing your thoughts on movies made in 1971. Your 33 currently trails me and Steve….but we are all far behind Dan. I have seen 80% of the Top Ten and Top Twenty. My first miss is Bedknobs and Broomsticks……I have seen much of that movie but not start to finish. I have seen all of your favorites except for the Monty Python one. I did dig up the trailer for Shoot Out..just for you. Of the two Caine movies…..I like The Last Valley more than Get Carter. Good stuff.C

  3. I’ve seen 35 of the 129 films on the chart. Looking at my files I have 72 films from 1971 in my movie collection. I haven’t watched them all.

    Favorites include –

    Abominable Dr. Phibes ,The
    And Now For Something Completely Different
    Andromeda Strain ,The
    Bedknobs and Broomsticks
    Big Jake
    Blood on Satan’s Claw
    Clockwork Orange ,A
    Diamonds Are Forever
    Dirty Harry
    Duel
    Escape from the Planet of the Apes
    French Connection ,The
    Hands of the Ripper
    House That Dripped Blood
    Lust for a Vampire
    Omega Man ,The
    Red Sun
    Return of Count Yorga
    Support Your Local,Gunfighter
    THX 1138
    Twins of Evil
    zz-China – Big Boss ,The aka Fists of Fury
    zz-China – One Armed Boxer
    zz-Italy – Fistful of Dynamite ,A
    zz-Italy – They Call Me Trinity

    I knew Billy Jack was a sleeper hit but I never expected that sort of box office, I wonder if that box office gross was a colossal error by Variety or whatever twit was keeping track of the rental/grosses back then. It’s most likely really $9.2m in total not $92m, yeah that makes more sense, and even that’s too much.

    One of my favorite films of the 70s is The Omega Man and I’m glad it made the top 50 on the UMR chart, though a little higher wouldn’t have hurt. 🙂

    Another epic movie page Bruce. Vote Up!

    Will you notice my comment this time? Maybe. Sometimes I think I’m invisible. 😉

    1. Hey Steve
      1. Yes I saw your comment….a little delayed…busy busy weeken (as always) but doing comments while playing lifeguard.
      2. 35 is a good total….that is higher than Flora’s 33….. but trailing my 41 and Dan’s epic total.
      3. Lots of good movies in your favorites….I would say Willy Wonka, The Last Valley (though I did not enjoy as much on a recent re-reviewing, French Connection and Duck You Sucker would be my favorites.
      4. As for Billy Jack…no mistake it was a monster hit, as well as the sequel The Trail of Billy Jack….Billy Jack was the 46th biggest hit of the ENTIRE 1970s decade. The Trail of Billy Jack was the 51st biggest hit of the decade. Billy Jack was the voice for young people..though those young people did not support Billy Jack Goes to Washington at all…as it flopped but Tom Laughlin earned enough money on the first two Billy Jacks that he never really worked again.
      Good feedback as always.

  4. Without looking at the list I remember going to the Barefoot Executive and Bedknobs and Broomsticks in the theater then. I went to Plaza Suite and The French Connection also in the theater. I tried to go to an R rated movie then but I was still young. My mother permitted me to see Woody Allen’s Bananas which was GP but unbeknownst to my mother the Catholic Legion of Decency condemned the movie. I can remember Woody grabbing a car lug nuts and a whole bunch of people paraded behind him because they thought it was a religious procession. Also there was a commercial for cigarettes with a priest who was serving someone at communion recommending the cigarette that God smokes. Saw A Clockwork Orange a few years later in CollegeThese are the 95 1971 films I have seen since I hit # 8000 in December 1992. Key is film, studio, stars if I listed, date seen and source (TV channel, tape or DVD).

    200 MOTELS 1971 UA XXX XXX 8/29 1996 TNT
    ADIOS SABATA (IT.) 1971 UA YUL BRYNNER 9/19 1996 TNT
    AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT (U.K.) 1971 COL XXX JOHN CLEESE 10/29 1994 TNT
    ANDROMEDA STRAIN 1971 UNI XXX XXX 1/25 1998 BRAVO
    B.S. I LOVE YOU 1971 FOX XXX XXX 4/22 1996 TMC
    BARREL FULL OF DOLLARS (IT.) 1971 ELEKTRA FILM 4/28 2012 WEST
    BLACK BEAUTY (U.K-GER-SP.) 1971 PAR MARK LESTER 5/20 1999 AMC
    BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN 1971 COL BILL MUMY BARRY ROBINS 2/25 2012 TCM
    BLOOD ON SATAN’S CLAW (U.K.) 1971 CANNON XXX XXX 6/30 2002 MYST
    BRIDGE IN THE JUNGLE 1971 UA JOHN HUSTON 3/1 1995 TNT
    BROTHERLY LOVE (U.K.) 1971 MGM PETER O’TOOLE SUSANNAH YORK 3/27 2001 LOVE
    BULLET FOR A STRANGER (IT.) 1971 XXX XXX 4/21 2011 DVD
    BUNNY O’HARE 1971 AIP 12/28 2016 TCM
    CAIN’S CUTTHROATS 1971 FANFARE SCOTT BRADY 1/16 1995 55
    CAPTAIN APACHE (U.K.) 1971 SCOTIA INTL. LEE VAN CLEEF CARROLL BAKER 6/14 1993 TNT
    CELEBRATION AT BIG SUR (MUSIC FILM) 1971 FOX XXX XXX 5/31 2006 MMAX
    CHANDLER 1971 MGM 11/29 2016 TCM
    CISCO PIKE 1971 COL KRIS KRISTOFFERSON KAREN BLACK 7/3 1994 TNT
    CLAY PIGEON 1971 MGM 5/15 2016 TCM
    CONFESSIONS OF A POLICE CAPTAIN (IT.) 1971 AVCO MARTIN BALSAM FRANCO NERO 9/16 2010 DVD
    CORPSE, THE (U.K.) 1971 CANNON 8/19 2015 DVD
    CREATURES THE WORLD FORGOT (U.K.) 1971 COL JULIE EGE 2/28 1993 TNT
    CRIMINAL AFFAIR (IT-ARG.) 1971 GADABOUT GADDIS 4/2 2013 DVD
    CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (U.K.) 1971 WB PETER CUSHING CHRISTOPHER LEE 11/1 1997 AMC
    DEATH BY INVITATION 1971 PARAGON FILMS 12/15 2013 TCM
    DEATH IN VENICE (FR-IT.) 1971 WB DIRK BOGARDE 1/5 2005 MAX
    DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS (IT-SP.) 1971 XXX XXX 6/21 2006 DVD
    DESERTER, THE 1971 PAR BEKIM FEHMIU JOHN HUSTON 12/22 2011 DVD
    DIG YOUR GRAVE FRIEND, SABATA’S COMING (SP-IT) 1971 IGIAZIO LESSER 11/20 2013 DVD
    DON’T TURN THE OTHER CHEEK (SP-W.GER-IT) 1971 FRANCO NERO ELI WALLACH 12/12 2010 DVD
    FEARLESS FIGHTERS (H.K.) 1971 ELLMAN FILM CHANG CHING YEE YOUNG 7/19 2010 DVD
    FREELANCE 1971 MGM IAN MCSHANE GAYLE HUNNICUTT 4/15 2003 MYST
    GANG THAT COULDN’T SHOOT STRAIGHT 1971 MGM XXX XXX 5/2 1999 TCM
    GET CARTER (U.K.) 1971 MGM MICHAEL CAINE IAN HENDRY 6/7 2001 ACTN
    HIRED HAND 1971 UNI PETER FONDA WARREN OATES 7/4 1998 55
    HIS NAME WAS KING (IT.) 1971 FORD FILM XXX XXX 10/30 2011 DVD
    HOLY WATER JOE (IT.) 1971 7/30 2013 DVD
    HOME THAT SCREAMED (SP.) 1971 AIP 8/10 2015 DVD
    HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD (U.K.) 1971 CRC 10/18 2016 TCM
    HUNTING PARTY (U.K.) 1971 UA OLIVER REED CANDICE BERGEN 7/24 1993 TNT
    JENNIFER ON MY MIND 1971 UA XXX XXX 1/14 2003 LOVE
    JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN 1971 CINEMATION TIMOTHY BOTTOMS JASON ROBARDS JR. 3/10 1998 BRAVO
    KING LEAR (UK – DAN.) 1971 ALTUNA PAUL SCOFIELD 3/12 2008 TCM
    KOTCH 1971 CRC WALTER MATTHAU 5/31 2005 ENC
    LA CASA DEL FARGI ROSA (MEX.) 1971 PRODUCIONES D. 2/12 2013 DVD
    LAST REBEL 1971 COL XXX XXX 2/13 1995 TNT
    LAST RUN 1971 MGM 8/30 2015 TCM
    LAST VALLEY (U.K.) 1971 CRC MICHAEL CAINE OMAR SHARIF 12/7 1999 MMAX
    LEGACY OF BLOOD 1971 ELLMAN FILM ENT. MOSES GUNN JONELLE ALLEN 4/27 2013 DVD
    LET’S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH 1971 PAR ZOHRA LAMPERT BARTON HEYMAN 5/12 2012 TCM
    MACBETH (U.K.) 1971 COL JON FINCH FRANCESCA ANNIS 1/30 1995 BRAVO
    MADE FOR EACH OTHER 1971 FOX XXX XXX 8/15 1996 TMC
    MAKING IT 1971 FOX 6/2 2012 FXM
    MAN AND BOY 1971 LEVITT-PICKMAN XXX XXX 5/31 1995 TNT
    MAN CALLED SLEDGE 1971 COL JAMES GARNER DENNIS WEAVER 11/17 1993 TNT
    MAN IN THE WILDERNESS 1971 WB RICHARD HARRIS JOHN HUSTON 1/11 1998 A & E
    MAN OF VIOLENCE (U.K.) 1971 XXX XXX 10/8 1994 55
    MANIPULATOR, THE 1971 MANN FILMS 5/16 2015 DVD
    MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS 1971 UNI VANESSA REDGRAVE GLENDA JACKSON 8/1 1993 A & E
    MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER 1971 WB WARREN BEATTY JULIE CHRISTIE 2/8 1997 2
    MEPHISTO WALTZ 1971 FOX ALAN ALDA JACQUELINE BISSET 1/9 1997 TMC
    MINNIE AND MOSCOWITZ 1971 UNI GENA ROWLANDS 11/21 2005 SUND
    MURPHY’S WAR (U.K.) 1971 PAR PETER O’TOOLE 7/28 1993 A & E
    MUSIC LOVERS (U.K.) 1971 UA RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN GLENDA JACKSON 12/11 2001 SUND
    NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA (U.K.) 1971 COL MICHAEL JAYSTON JANET SUZMAN 2/2 2011 TCM
    NIGHT DIGGER (U.K.) 1971 MGM PATRICIA NEAL PAMELA BROWN 1/20 2011 TCM
    NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS 1971 MGM XXX XXX 10/25 1999 TCM
    ON ANY SUNDAY (DOC.) 1971 CINEMA 5 XXX XXX 3/28 2004 TCM
    ONE MORE TRAIN TO ROB 1971 UNI GEORGE PEPPARD 6/18 2007 WEST
    PINK ANGELS 1971 CROWN INTL XXX XXX 1/4 1997 TAPE
    POPSI PUP (IT-FR-VEN.) 1971 CANNON ? ? 7/22 2010 DVD
    PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW 1971 MGM ROCK HUDSON ANGIE DICKINSON 8/20 1997 TNT
    PRIEST’S WIFE (IT-FR.) 1971 WB 4/29 2016 TCM
    PUNISHMENT PARK 1971 SHERPIX XXX XXX 10/1 2009 IFC
    PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS 1971 COL MICHAEL SARRAZIN BARBARA HERSHEY 4/1 1998 ENC
    RETURN OF COUNT YORGA 1971 AIP XXX XXX 4/11 2001 AMC
    RUM RUNNERS (FR.) 1971 GAUMONT INTL. BRIGITTE BARDOT 7/27 1994 55
    SCANDALOUS JOHN 1971 BV BRIAN KEITH 8/29 2000 WEST
    SHOOT OUT 1971 UNI GREGORY PECK 12/11 1996 TNT
    SIMON, KING OF THE WITCHES 1971 FANFARE XXX XXX 11/8 1994 55
    SKIN GAME 1971 WB JAMES GARNER 5/24 1993 TBS
    STAR SPANGLED GIRL 1971 PAR XXX XXX 5/20 2000 LOVE
    SUNDAY, BLOODY, SUNDAY 1971 UA GLENDA JACKSON PETER FINCH 11/10 1993 TNT
    TAKING OFF 1971 UNI XXX XXX 9/18 2006 SUND
    THE GO-BETWEEN (U.K.) 1971 COL JULIE CHRISTIE ALAN BATES 11/18 1996 BRAVO
    THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS 1971 UNI JOANNE WOODWARD GEORGE C. SCOTT 5/15 1993 A & E
    TWO LANE BLACKTOP 1971 UNI WARREN OATES 12/17 2006 DRA
    VALDEZ IS COMING 1971 UA BURT LANCASTER SUSAN CLARK 9/18 1995 TMC
    VELVET VAMPIRE 1971 NW XXX XXX 5/16 1993 TAPE
    WALKABOUT 1971 FOX JENNY AGUTTER 10/12 1997 TMC
    WEEKEND WITH THE BABYSITTER 1971 CROWN INTL XXX XXX 3/22 2010 DVD
    WEREWOLVES ON WHEELS 1971 FANFARE XXX XXX 1/22 1995 TNT
    WHEN WOMEN LOST THEIR TAILS (IT-W.GER) 1971 FVI SENTA BERGER 9/13 1994 55
    WILD RIDERS 1971 CROWN INTL 5/9 2013 DVD
    ZODIAC KILLER 1971 10/9 2016 TCM

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