The Help, a drama about African-American housekeepers employed in the US south before the Civil Rights era, topped US weekend box sales for a third straight week, industry figures showed.
The Disney film brought in an estimated $19.8 million in receipts over the long Labour Day holiday weekend, for a total to date of $124 million, according to final figures from movie data tracker Exhibitor Relations.
The film, a surprise summer hit, comfortably held off The Debt, an Israeli espionage thriller starring Oscar winner Helen Mirren, which grossed $12.9 million in its first weekend.
The Debt is the latest hit from the critically-acclaimed Focus Features label that produced and distributed low-budget successes The American and Syriana, both starring George Clooney.
Apollo 18, a sci-fi thriller about a fictitious mission to the Moon, opened in third place, returning $10.7 million, and Shark Night 3D debuted in fourth, with $10.1 million. In the number five spot was Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the prequel to the 1968 classic Planet of the Apes. It earned $10.3 million over the weekend, pushing its total take to $162.5 million.
Colombiana brought in $9.6 million to slip from its second-placed debut last week to sixth place, while comedy Our Idiot Brother starring Paul Rudd followed with $7 million.