'The Help' hangs on to box office crown

LOS ANGELES: Surprise summer hit "The Help" retained the No. 1 spot at movie theater box offices on Sunday, beating back three newcomers and appearing headed for victory over a long US holiday weekend.

Movie studio estimates showed the civil rights-era story about the racial divide between white women in Mississippi and the black women who worked for them had taken in $14.2 million over three days ending on Sunday and appeared headed toward $18 million by Monday, the US Labor Day holiday. (Reuters)