Where To Watch
10 Highest-Grossing Thanksgiving Movies of All Time
What scored big at the Thanksgiving box office?
Turkey. Cranberry Sauce. Stuffing. And... Cinema?
While it may not have the multiplex appeal of some higher-profile holidays (Halloween and Christmas), Thanksgiving still has plenty to offer on the big screen.
From decades-old classics to more recent fare, this list includes some of the best and worst Thanksgiving movies ever. Quality and profit have very little to do with each other, and some of these are real stinkers!
If football just isn't really your thing, here are the 10 highest-grossing Thanksgiving movies of all time, according to Box Office Mojo!
1. Jack and Jill (2011)
It's appropriate that Adam Sandler has the highest-grossing Thanksgiving movie of all time, given his beloved "Thanksgiving Song." Other than that, this thing is an abomination. The Sandman plays his own twin sister. Enough said.
2. Scent of a Woman (1992)
Hoo-ah! This Thanksgiving movie is probably best-remembered for Al Pacino's performance, which finally nabbed the actor an Academy Award for Best Actor. He plays a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who went blind by drunkenly juggling hand grenades. Pass the gravy!
3. Free Birds (2013)
Hang onto your nuggets! Featuring the voice talents of Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson and Amy Poehler, Free Birds tells the story of time-traveling turkeys trying to save their kind from the pilgrims' first feast.
4. Don't Say a Word (2001)
If you think Thanksgiving might be a weird time for a thriller, you're in great company. Despite being a box office success, Don't Say a Word is hardly remembered today. Michael Douglas plays a psychiatrist who has to coax a patient into giving him the location of secret gemstones.
5. Planes, Trains and Automobiles
If we're being totally honest, we thought this one would be #1. It's certainly the most iconic Thanksgiving movie, but it's only the fifth highest-grossing. John Candy and Steve Martin deftly balance laughs with warmth in this holiday classic.
6. Nobody's Fool (1995)
With a career and legacy like Paul Newman's, it's easy to see how some movies would be more readily remembered than others. However, Nobody's Fool remains an underrated gem, both in Newman's filmography and in the Thanksgiving movie pantheon.
7. Son in Law (1993)
Time for another clunker: Son in Law was the first true starring vehicle for ultimate nepo-baby Pauly Shore. The insufferable Shore stars alongside a criminally underrated Carla Gugino in this Thanksgiving critical flop.
8. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Hannah and Her Sisters boasts an ensemble cast that includes Mia Farrow, Carrie Fisher, Barbara Hershey, Max Von Sydow, and Michael Caine. It even won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay!
9. Home for the Holidays (1995)
Jodie Foster is a once-in-a-generation talent. Not only is she an incredibly talented actor, but she also directed a bona fide Thanksgiving classic with Home for the Holidays. It's a feel-good family story, featuring a great performance by a pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr.
10. The Ice Storm (1997)
Dark and depressing for the holidays, this one's directed by the guy who made Brokeback Mountain and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and that one Hulk movie that didn't have Mark Ruffalo or Edward Norton. This one's absolutely no fun at all!
32 Comments
I could watch it now and 2mrrw and a month from now and still laugh so hard - John Candy I miss you:(
Now let's talk about ROI
15 mil budget - box office 45 mil....
"I have 2 dollars and a Casio!"
BTW, Carla Gugino from "Son in Law" is the niece of Carol Merrill, the original "prize-pointer" on the Monty Hall version of "Let's Make a Deal".
"Son in Law" - Okay movie. Liked Pauly Shore better in "Encino Man".
The rest I haven't watched.