Focus Features’ Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris will hit an estimated $1.9 million weekend gross at 980 theaters drawing women with those 55 years of age and older repping 44% of the total. Turnout was best on the coasts for the drama starring Leslie Manville and Isabelle Huppert.
That’s a PSA of $1,939 and a solid open in unpredictable times for specialty. Distributors these days can hope for at least $1 million on circa 1,000 screens, but don’t all make it. And there’s competition for the female demo this weekend with wide-release Where The Crawdads Sing. As Deadline reported, some fifty-five percent of Crawdads ticket buyers were women with 41% over 45 (although this film’s best markets were in the South and Midwest).
Mrs. Harris, directed by Anthony Fabian, from eOne, has a A Cinema Score with strong reviews. Focus said the open and positive critical reception and word mouth set it up for solid theatrical run over the coming weeks. “We are pleased with the film’s strong opening and that older movie-goers are returning to enjoy the in-theater experience [and] look forward to the film having a long run in theaters this summer,” said distribution president Lisa Bunnell.
The Paris romp about British housekeeper and widow who dreams of buying her own couture Christian Dior gown but must fight for the right with the couturier’s snooty gatekeeper debuted at No. 9.
Meanwhile, A24’s tiny hero Marcel The Shell With Shoes On steamed ahead in week four, adding 105 locations in a major expansion, for a total of 153. It took in an estimated $575k – up 79% from last weekend – with a domestic cume through Sunday of $1,695,817. About a snail named Marcel, based on a popular YouTube series and books, is about the best reviewed film of the year (99% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes) and has also had the best word of mouth of any A24 film ever. I remains the buzziest pic in the space now with director Dean Fleischer Camp just tapped to direct the live-action adaptation of the classic animated pic Lilo & Stitch for Disney.
Other specialty openings: Briarcliff Entertainment’s documentary Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down opened in 302 locations at $75k for a PTA of $248.
Vertical Entertainment opened Gone In The Night opened at 136 locations to a debut of $121k for a PTA of $890.
Hamsini Entertainment opened Punjabi film Bajre Da Sitta in 55 theaters to a debut of $124k.
Wide Lens Pictures Korean action pic The Killer last week in 56 locations to five day gross $72,096 for a PTA of $1,287. The three-day weekend tally was $50,000.
Oscilloscope Laboratories’ Anonymous Club, Danny Cohen’s documentary about notoriously introverted Australian musician Courtney Barnett, opened three locations this weekend in LA and NY taking in $10,275 for a PTA of $3,425.
Kino Lorber’s Costa Brava Lebanon has an estimated three-day gross of $4,450 at one theater.
Specialty holdovers: Neon’s Fire of Love earned $63,362 kin week two, for a PTA of $4,526 and a domestic cume through Sunday of $117,523.
Bleecker Street’s Mr. Malcom’s List, now in week three, will gross $21,962 this weekend on 158 screens for a weekend PSA of $139 and a domestic cume through Sunday of $1.85 million.
Sony Pictures Classics Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song in week three, earned $38,455 on 25 screens (up from 15 last week) with a per screen average of $1,538 and a domestic cume through Sunday of $137,969.