LOS ANGELES - George Clooney's hitman tale "The American" captured the top spot at the box office with a $16.4 million debut over the long Labor Day weekend.
Since opening Wednesday, the Focus Features release has taken in $19.5 million. Clooney stars as a hitman who finds unlikely friendship and romance while trying to lay low in Italy before doing one last job.
The 20th Century Fox revenge romp "Machete" and Sony's heist thriller "Takers" were in a duel for second-place. "Machete" led with $14 million from Friday to Monday. "Takers" followed with $13.5 million, though the two movies were close enough that final numbers released Tuesday could change the rankings.
The weekend's other new wide release, Drew Barrymore's romance "Going the Distance" from Warner Bros., opened at No. 5 with $8.6 million.
Hollywood closed its busiest season with record revenue of $4.35 billion, about $100 million more than the previous high set last summer, according to Hollywood.com. Yet because of higher ticket prices, movie attendance slipped to about 552 million, the lowest since summer 2005.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Top Ten 1. "The American," $16.4 million.
2. "Machete," $14 million.
