WEEKEND BOX OFFICE : ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ Gets the Checkered Flag

Warner Bros.’ “Driving Miss Daisy,” a multiple winner at the recent Golden Globe Awards, continued to lead the national box office chart during its second weekend in wide release. The story about the relationship between an elderly Jewish matron and her Atlanta chauffeur took in $6 million in ticket sales to bring its total receipts to nearly $22 million. Walt Disney Studios’ “Stella,” starring Bette Midler in a remake of the sudsy “Stella Dallas,” withstood a tidal wave of negative reviews to grab the No. 2 spot with opening weekend ticket sales of $4.3 million. In fifth place was Paramount’s just-released “Flashback,” which had ticket sales of $2.9 million.

* Warner Bros.’ “Men Don’t Leave,” starring Jessica Lange as the recently widowed mother of two sons, opened at three theaters with ticket sales of $62,419.

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1.”Driving Miss Daisy” $6 895 8 (Warner Bros.) $24.4 $6,717 2.”Stella” $4.3 1,033 1 (Disney) $4.3 $4,174 3.”Born on the Fourth of July” $4 1,309 7 (Universal) $44.4 $3,065 4.”Tango & Cash” $3 1,526 7 (Warner Bros.) $53.6 $2,007 5.”Flashback” $2.9 875 1 (Paramount) $2.9 $3,326 *”Men Don’t Leave” $62,419 3 1 (Warner Bros.) $62,419 $20,806

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.