Burlington Times News
April 7, 1997
LOS ANGELES (AP) – “Liar, Liar” beat the Val Kilmer thriller “The Saint” at the weekend box office and trounced other star vehicles on its way to breaking the $100 million mark, according to industry estimates Sunday.
The Jim Carrey comedy had $18.5 million in ticket sales in its third week, while “The Saint” opened with about $16.2 million. That film, starring Kilmer as a world-class thief trying to rescue scientist Elisabeth Shue, got mixed reviews but was heavily hyped.
“ Liar, Liar,” which had the best March opening ever, earned $100.9 million in just three weeks. It has managed to beat out a slate of other comedies and even highly promoted films like Harrison Ford’s “The Devil’s Own,” which placed third with an estimated $7.4 million gross, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.
Universal knew that “Liar, Liar” would be big but “I don’t think anybody could have expected it to have such a tremendous run as it has so far,” said Allen Sutton, senior vice president of distribution and marketing.
The film stars Carrey as a slick lawyer whose son’s birthday wish makes him unable to lie for 24 hours. The plot is basically an excuse for Carrey to display his rubber-faced antics.
Sutton said the figures indicate that people are seeing the film over and over.
Three other debut films made it into the top IO.
“That Old Feeling,” starring Bette Midler as a divorcee thrown together with her ex-husband at their daughter’s wedding, was in fourth place with $5.2 million, followed by “Double Team.” a Jean-Claude Van Damme-Dennis Rodman action thriller, with $5 million.
Several movies opened in limited release.
“Anna Karenina,” based on Tolstoy’s novel about Russian aristocrats and a tragic love affair, earned $80,000 on five screens. The reissued German U-boat epic “Das Boot” had $70,000 on 13 screens, and “Chasing Amy” had more than $57,000 on three screens.
Final weekend box office figures were to be released today.
The top IO films from Friday through Sunday:
1. “Liar, Liar,” $18.5 million.
2. “The Saint,” $16.2 million.
3. “The Devil’s Own,” $7.4 million.
4. “That Old Feeling,” $5.2 million.
5. “Double Team,” $5 million.
6. “Jungle 2 Jungle,” $3.4 million.
7. “The Sixth Man.” $3.1 million.
8. “Selena,” $2.7 million.
9. “R eturn of the Jedi,” $2.5 million.
10. “Inventing the Abbotts,” $2.4 million.
