John Grisham is an American lawyer, author, and politician who has written many political and legal thriller novels. His novels have sold more that 275 million copies worldwide, and is one of three authors of all time who has sold over 2 million copies of a novel on the first printing. Critics hail Grisham for his gripping and realistic writing, and many of his novels have been made into feature length films. We are going to take a look at some of the highest grossing movies that were based off of his novels.
5. Christmas with The Kranks – Worldwide gross: $96.6 Million
The first film on our list may come as a surprise for readers, as it is a film that is very different from most of Grisham’s political and legal thrillers. Christmas with The Kranks is a Christmas comedy film that was based off of Grisham’s 2001 novel, Skipping Christmas. The film stars Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis who want to take a break from spending the holidays with their family, and instead invest in a Caribbean cruise. The Kranks decide they will not spend any money on Christmas decorations or gifts, and their family and friends don’t take too kindly too this as hilarity ensues. Reaching the number 1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list in 2001, Skipping Christmas was a solid success that lead to the production of this movie.
4. The Client – Worldwide gross: $117.6 Million
Next up on our list is the 1994 legal thriller film The Client. Based off of Grisham’s novel of the same name, this film is about two brothers who witness a Mob lawyer commit suicide in the woods while the boys are smoking cigarettes. The lawyer tells the boys that he is about to kill himself to avoid the inevitable torture and murder from a “The Blade” who is the nephew of a high ranking mob boss. The Mob and police then realize that the lawyer may have told the boys where the body of a Louisianan senator may be found, who was killed by Barry “The Blade” Muldanno. The eldest brother Mark, gets Regina Love to represent him in court and to protect him from the mob and corrupt judges. This non-stop thriller starring Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones will leave you on the edge of your seat.
3. A Time to Kill – Worldwide gross: $152.3 Million
A Time to Kill is a gripping 1996 drama that was adapted from Grisham’s novel of the same name. With an all-star cast of Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, and Kevin Spacey this film is about the rape of a young girl in Mississippi and the eventual capture and arrest of her rapists. The rapists are then killed by the young girls father, and the film then follows the trial of the father for the rapists murders. The film was highly successful and grossed $110 million dollars in the U.S. alone.
2. The Pelican Brief – Worldwide Gross: $195.3 Million
Coming in at number 2 on our list is The Pelican Brief. This film starring Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington is about a young law student (Roberts) who shows her professor her theory about how and why two Supreme Court Justices were assassinated and why. Her compelling theory is shown to the FBI which leads to the murder of her professor and her almost murder with an unknown assailant. Roberts and Washington (a political reporter) then team up as the two try to figure out what is going on in this crime-thriller mystery.
1. The Firm – Worldwide Gross: $270.2 Million
Selling over 1.5 million copies, Grisham’s second novel The Firm, was then adapted into a movie starring Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Gene Hackman, Holly Hunter, Ed Harris, Hal Holbrook, and David Strathairn. This film is about a prospective law student (Cruise) who receives an amazing offer from a firm. He eventually agrees to work for this firm where he then learns of the darker sides of this law firm as murders occur and the inevitable involvement of the FBI.
Photo by Neilson Barnard
