Weekend Box Office : ‘Ace’ Aces the Competition Again

Even inclement weather in the East did not stop “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” the family farce starring Jim Carrey, from nabbing impressive box-office returns for the second weekend in a row. Running a distant second was “The Getaway,” a remake of the 1972 Sam Peckinpah thriller, closely chased by “Blank Check,” another family picture. A third new release, “My Girl 2,” placed fourth; with no Macaulay Culkin this time, it seems unlikely to duplicate the success of its blockbuster predecessor. “I’ll Do Anything,” the problem-plagued musical-turned-romantic-comedy from James L. Brooks, dropped off the Top 10 list in only its second weekend.

* Eight Oscar nominations gave a boost to “The Remains of the Day,” a fall release that expanded from 174 to 250 theaters and more than doubled the previous weekend’s revenues.

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1.”Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” $9.7 1,906 2 (Warner) $24.6 $5,075 2.”The Getaway” $5.8 1,659 1 (Universal) $5.8 $3,500 3.”Blank Check” $5.4 1,698 1 (Buena Vista) $5.4 $3,187 4.”My Girl 2” $5.0 1,841 1 (Columbia) $5.2 $2,723 5.”Schindler’s List” $4.7 782 9 (Universal) $35.6 $6,015 6.”Mrs. Doubtfire” $4.4 1,916 12 (Fox) $187.2 $2,300 7.”Philadelphia” $4.2 1,604 8 (TriStar) $50.5 $2,633 8.”My Father, the Hero” $4.0 1,373 2 (Buena Vista) $10.7 $2,918 9.”Grumpy Old Men” $2.8 1,632 8 (Warner) $58.1 $1,708 10.”In the Name of the Father” $2.3 495 7 (Universal) $9.1 $4,665 *”The Remains of the Day” $501,250 250 20 (Columbia) $20.1 $2,005

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.