Overlay: Financial performance of Crooks in Clover (Les Tontons flingueurs)

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Errors	Missing	Unverified	Supported
0	2	0	13

How were these counts calculated?

Missing (2)

The film ranked 8th among films *released* in 1963 by total lifetime admissions.lost-nuance Distinction between Calendar Year and Release Year Rank: The summary claims the lost-nuance

#Q ORIGINAL QUESTION

Regarding the film Crooks in Clover (1963), how much did the film make at both the box office and after (detail breakdown), and how did that compare to its budget?

#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE

The film Crooks in Clover (original title: Les Tontons flingueurs, 1963) is a rare case in cinema history where a film with a modest budget and poor critical reception transformed into a massive, multi-generational financial success.

1. Budget Breakdown

The film was a co-production between France (Gaumont), West Germany (Corona Filmproduktion), and Italy (Ultra Film). This structure was chosen by Gaumont’s producer Alain Poiré to minimize financial risk because the studio had little faith in the project’s success.

Initial Budget: Approximately 1.8 million "new" francs (roughly $365,000 in 1963 USD).
Risk Management: Because of the studio's skepticism, director Georges Lautner was forced to sign a contract stating he would personally pay for any budget overruns out of his own salary.
Production Context: While 1.8 million francs was considered a "solid" budget for Lautner at the time, it was far from a superproduction. The co-production status necessitated the "Euro-pudding" cast, including German actors (Sabine Sinjen, Horst Frank) and Italian actors (Venantino Venantini) to secure funding from those territories.

2. Box Office Earnings (1963–1965)

Despite being panned by critics as "vulgar" and "outdated," the public immediately embraced the film.

France: The film was a major hit, recording 3,342,393 admissions during its original run. It ranked as the 8th most successful film in France in 1963.
Paris: Over 1,000,000 admissions occurred in the Paris region alone.
International:
- Italy: The film grossed 67 million lire by June 1965 (approx. 300,000 admissions).
- West Germany: Released earlier as Mein Onkel, der Gangster, it performed well enough to justify the German investment, though exact DM figures are less publicized.
Estimated Nominal Gross: Based on 1963 ticket prices (approx. 2.50–3.00 francs), the French box office alone grossed roughly 8.5 to 10 million francs, effectively quadrupling its production budget in its first theatrical run.

3. "After" Earnings: The Cult Afterlife

The true financial windfall for the film came after its theatrical run, through television and home media.

Television Rights: The film is one of the most-watched and most-repeated movies in French television history, having been broadcast over 17 times on major networks. A single recent broadcast (January 2026) reportedly attracted 3.65 million viewers, demonstrating its enduring commercial value.
Home Media: Upon its digitally restored DVD release in 2002, the film sold 250,000 copies—a massive figure for a black-and-white classic. It has since seen multiple 4K and Blu-ray re-releases for its 50th and 60th anniversaries.
Cumulative Revenue: While total lifetime revenue across 60 years is difficult to track precisely, Wikipedia and other databases often cite a cumulative value of $24.9 million. This figure likely represents the total inflation-adjusted or lifetime gross revenue across all markets and platforms.

Summary Comparison

Metric	Figure (1963 Nominal)	Context
Budget	1.8 Million Francs	Mid-budget; co-production to reduce risk.
Box Office (FR)	~9 Million Francs	3.3M admissions; 5x the budget.
After-Market	Millions in TV/DVD	250k DVD sales; 17+ prime-time TV runs.
Total Status	Highly Profitable	Helped recover Gaumont's production division in the 1960s.

In short, the film was a massive financial success that exceeded its budget many times over, but its primary legacy is as a permanent "cash cow" for Gaumont, generating revenue through television licensing and high-end home media releases for over half a century.

#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)

[1] The film's original French title is 'Les Tontons flingueurs' and it was released in 1963.

[2] The film was a co-production involving Gaumont (France), Corona (West Germany), and Ultra Film (Italy).

[3] Sources cite the budget at approximately 1.8 million francs, though some production anecdotes suggest a budget of 2.5 million with costs coming in under.

[4] Director Georges Lautner confirmed in interviews that he signed a contract making him personally liable for budget overruns due to Gaumont's lack of faith.

[5] The cast included Sabine Sinjen, Horst Frank, and Venantino Venantini to satisfy co-production quotas.

[6] Total admissions in France were 3,342,393.

[7] The film ranked 8th among films *released* in 1963 by total lifetime admissions. However, in the 1963 calendar year box office, it ranked 73rd because it was released in late November.

[8] The film recorded over 1 million admissions in Paris and its suburbs.

[9] Italian box office gross was approximately 67 million lire by June 1965.

[10] The German release title was 'Mein Onkel, der Gangster'.

[11] The film has been broadcast more than 17 times on French television.

[12] A broadcast on France 2 on January 4, 2026, attracted 3.65 million viewers (19.7% share).

[13] The 2002 DVD release sold 250,000 copies.

[14] Wikipedia and other databases cite a worldwide box office/revenue figure of $24.9 million.

#O MISSED POINTS & OVERSIGHTS

Low

Distinction between Calendar Year and Release Year Rank

The summary claims the film was the 8th most successful of 1963. While true for the cohort of films released that year, it was 73rd in the actual 1963 calendar year box office due to its late November release.

#C RELATED QUERIES

#01 What was the critical reception of Les Tontons flingueurs upon its release?

#02 How does the box office of Les Tontons flingueurs compare to other Lino Ventura films?

#03 What is the inflation-adjusted value of the 1.8 million franc budget today?

#S SOURCES

grokipedia.com scribd.com philpowrie.com dokumen.pub wikipedia.org retrocalage.com researchgate.net youtube.com youtube.com fnac.com

#R ORIGINAL AI RESPONSE

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The film *Crooks in Clover* (original title: ***Les Tontons flingueurs***, 1963) is a rare case in cinema history where a film with a modest budget and poor critical reception transformed into a massive, multi-generational financial success. ### **1. Budget Breakdown** The film was a co-production between France (Gaumont), West Germany (Corona Filmproduktion), and Italy (Ultra Film). This structure was chosen by Gaumont’s producer Alain Poiré to minimize financial risk because the studio had little faith in the project’s success. * **Initial Budget:** Approximately **1.8 million "new" francs** (roughly $365,000 in 1963 USD). * **Risk Management:** Because of the studio's skepticism, director Georges Lautner was forced to sign a contract stating he would personally pay for any budget overruns out of his own salary. * **Production Context:** While 1.8 million francs was considered a "solid" budget for Lautner at the time, it was far from a superproduction. The co-production status necessitated the "Euro-pudding" cast, including German actors (Sabine Sinjen, Horst Frank) and Italian actors (Venantino Venantini) to secure funding from those territories. ### **2. Box Office Earnings (1963–1965)** Despite being panned by critics as "vulgar" and "outdated," the public immediately embraced the film. * **France:** The film was a major hit, recording **3,342,393 admissions** during its original run. It ranked as the 8th most successful film in France in 1963. * **Paris:** Over **1,000,000 admissions** occurred in the Paris region alone. * **International:** * **Italy:** The film grossed **67 million lire** by June 1965 (approx. 300,000 admissions). * **West Germany:** Released earlier as *Mein Onkel, der Gangster*, it performed well enough to justify the German investment, though exact DM figures are less publicized. * **Estimated Nominal Gross:** Based on 1963 ticket prices (approx. 2.50–3.00 francs), the French box office alone grossed roughly **8.5 to 10 million francs**, effectively quadrupling its production budget in its first theatrical run. ### **3. "After" Earnings: The Cult Afterlife** The true financial windfall for the film came after its theatrical run, through television and home media. * **Television Rights:** The film is one of the most-watched and most-repeated movies in French television history, having been broadcast **over 17 times** on major networks. A single recent broadcast (January 2026) reportedly attracted **3.65 million viewers**, demonstrating its enduring commercial value. * **Home Media:** Upon its digitally restored DVD release in 2002, the film sold **250,000 copies**—a massive figure for a black-and-white classic. It has since seen multiple 4K and Blu-ray re-releases for its 50th and 60th anniversaries. * **Cumulative Revenue:** While total lifetime revenue across 60 years is difficult to track precisely, Wikipedia and other databases often cite a cumulative value of **$24.9 million**. This figure likely represents the total inflation-adjusted or lifetime gross revenue across all markets and platforms. ### **Summary Comparison** | Metric | Figure (1963 Nominal) | Context | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Budget** | **1.8 Million Francs** | Mid-budget; co-production to reduce risk. | | **Box Office (FR)** | **~9 Million Francs** | 3.3M admissions; 5x the budget. | | **After-Market** | **Millions in TV/DVD** | 250k DVD sales; 17+ prime-time TV runs. | | **Total Status** | **Highly Profitable** | Helped recover Gaumont's production division in the 1960s. | In short, the film was a massive financial success that exceeded its budget many times over, but its primary legacy is as a **permanent "cash cow" for Gaumont**, generating revenue through television licensing and high-end home media releases for over half a century.

#A DIRECT ANSWER (VERIFIED ANALYSIS)

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The film Crooks in Clover (Les Tontons flingueurs) was a massive financial success relative to its modest budget. Produced for approximately 1.8 million francs (with director Georges Lautner personally guaranteeing overruns), it generated 3.34 million admissions in France (ranking 8th among films released in 1963, though 73rd in the 1963 calendar year due to its late release). It grossed roughly 8.5–10 million francs in its initial French run alone. Internationally, it earned 67 million lire in Italy. Its long-term value has been exceptional: it sold 250,000 DVDs in 2002 and continues to draw millions of viewers on TV, including 3.65 million viewers during a January 2026 broadcast. Total cumulative revenue is estimated at $24.9 million.

OVERLAY REPORT