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MOVIE

Best Defense

 1984
 94 minutes (1 hrs 34 mins)
Best Defense
CAST & DIRECTORBOX OFFICE DATAGLOBAL RELEASESTOP GROSSINGNEWS

Director and Cast Quickview

Directed by

Willard Huyck

Starring

Dudley Moore · Eddie Murphy · Kate Capshaw · George Dzundza · Helen Shaver · Mark Arnott

Full cast & crew

Release dates

US release date US release
20th July 1984
United States release date United States release
20th July 1984
Sweden release date Sweden release
19th April 1985

Box Office Quickview

UK box office

  • Debut box office: 20th Jul '84
  • Debut position: 3
  • Highest position: 3
  • Debut gross: £193.6 Thousand
  • Total chart weeks: 11

Chart position history

UK box office

20 Jul, 1984
3
27 Jul, 1984
3
3 Aug, 1984
3
10 Aug, 1984
3
17 Aug, 1984
4
24 Aug, 1984
5
31 Aug, 1984
7
7 Sep, 1984
8
14 Sep, 1984
9
21 Sep, 1984
9
28 Sep, 1984
9

US box office

Global box office

Certificates

US
R

16

M18

6

K-12

14

16

15

M/12

L

13+

15

Tous publics

A

R

Total grosses

UK total gross
United Kingdom Flag  £591.4 Thousand
US total gross
United States Flag  $0
Global total gross
Global Flag  $0

25thframe.co.uk stats

News from around the web
10 Things to Know About 'Best Defense' (1984)  Vocal Fri, 1st May 2026

5 Best Courtroom Movies Of All Time, Ranked  looper.com Sun, 5th July 2026

35 Years Ago: Even Eddie Murphy Realizes ‘Best Defense’ ‘Sucked Real Bad’  Ultimate Classic Rock Tue, 23rd July 2019

The one movie Eddie Murphy knew would be awful before he began making it: “Before I even opened it”  Far Out Magazine Thu, 31st July 2025

Obsessive film habit drives Ausar Thompson's otherworldly defense  Detroit Free Press - Breaking news, sports, business, entertainment Sun, 29th March 2026

Murphy’s Flaw: When Eddie Murphy Fooled Moviegoers in ‘Best Defense’  Mental Floss Thu, 15th June 2023