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‘Cast Away’ Is Far From Being Marooned

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Considering that Christmas movie attendance didn’t really begin until late Monday afternoon (as opposed to Saturday afternoon last year), the fact that the top 10 movies grossed almost $140 million augurs well for a record-breaking finish to the past year. The champion, weighing in at $39.9 million, was Tom Hanks in “Cast Away.” The other Christmas stars were Mel Gibson in “What Women Want,” Nicolas Cage in “Family Man,” Sandra Bullock in “Miss Congeniality” and, still in the running, Jim Carrey in “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

Among the films opening in limited release were such outstanding performers as the Coen brothers’ comedy “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” David Mamet’s comedy “State and Main,” Sean Connery in “Finding Forrester” and Julian Schnabel’s drama “Before Night Falls.” Also looking promising was the Cuban missile crisis drama “Thirteen Days,” which had a one-day gross of $46,658 on eight screens in New York and Los Angeles, with many of the L.A. houses selling out. Debuting in wide release on Christmas Day, Matt Damon in “All the Pretty Horses” did an OK $1.3 million on 1,483 screens.

Weekend Box Office

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Four-day gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “Cast Away” $39.9 2,774 1 (Fox) $39.9 $10,439 2. “What Women Want” $21.6 3,044 2 (Paramount) $70.2 $7,096 3. “The Family Man” $15.1 2,388 1 (Universal) $15.1 $6,325 4. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” $14.8 3,164 6 (Universal) $235.1 $4,655 5. “Miss Congeniality” $13.9 2,688 1 (Warner Bros.) $13.9 $5,192 6. “The Emperor’s New Groove” $9.6 2,8872 (Disney) $24.2 $3,315 7. “Dracula 2000” $8.6 2,2041 (Dimension) $8.6 $3,902 8. * “Vertical Limit” $5.7 2,405 3 (Sony/Columbia) $38.4 $2,370 9. “Dude, Where’s My Car?” $5.6 2,100 2 (Fox $24.6 $2,014 10. “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” $3.7 143 3 (Sony Picture Classics) $6.5 $25,843 “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” $195,104 5 1 (Touchstone) $195,104 $39,021

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* Denotes studio estimates.

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.

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