SHORT TAKES : ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ Remains in High Gear at the Box Office

“Driving Miss Daisy” continues to be in high gear at the box office. Weekend ticket sales for Warners’ multiple Oscar-nominee were an estimated $5.7 million, making “Daisy” No. 1. The comedy-drama about the decades-long relationship of an Atlanta matron and her black chauffeur has grossed more than $50 million since opening in wide release in late January.

In the No. 2 spot--again--was the Warners’ action picture, “Hard to Kill,” with ticket sales of about $5.4 million for an estimated $25 million gross.

Elsewhere, ticket sales were sleepy. Orion Pictures’ “Madhouse”--which the studio chose not to screen for critics--was ranked third, with ticket sales of an estimated $3.5 million. Columbia Pictures’ “Revenge,” starring Kevin Costner, slipped to fourth place with ticket sales of an estimated $3 million. Rounding out the top five was Universal Pictures’ leading Oscar contender, “Born on the Fourth of July,” which earned approximately $2.5 million--bringing its grosses to more than $55 million since opening in wide release in early January.

Warners’ “Men Don’t Leave,” starring Jessica Lange as a recently widowed mother of two, widened to approximately 800 theaters, for ticket sales of just $2.1 million.

The weekend’s only new entry, Disney’s “Where the Heart Is,” a comedy-drama that earned largely negative reviews, earned approximately $530,000 at about 235 screens.