BEIJING, March 28 -- Denzel Washington and director Spike Lee scored the best opening of their careers Sunday, as the heist thriller "Inside Man" grabbed the No. 1 spot at the weekend box office in North America with estimated ticket sales of US$29 million.

    The film, which also stars Clive Owen and Jodie Foster, was the top picture overseas as well, with sales of US$9.6 million from 18 countries, including No. 1 openings in Britain and Germany, according to distributor Universal Pictures.

    "Inside Man," which cost about US$45 million to make, revolves around a cat-and-mouse game between a bank robber (Owen) and a New York cop (Washington). Foster plays an intermediary with her own agenda.

    Universal said exit polling indicated that 68 percent of the audience was aged 30 and older, and that male viewers comprised 54 percent. Three-quarters of respondents said Washington was their main reason for going. Universal Pictures is a unit of General Electric Co.¡¯s NBC Universal Inc.

    Last weekend's champ, the futuristic terrorist drama "V for Vendetta," slipped to No. 2 with US$12.3 million for the Friday-to-Sunday period, taking its 10-day haul to US$46.2 million.

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily/Agencies)