US:The biggest film awards ceremony in the US apart from the Oscars, the Golden Globes show, was a shadow of its former self when this year's winners were announced in a Los Angeles hotel ballroom early yesterday (6pm on Sunday local time).
Traditionally a magnet for Hollywood stars and studio executives, the event was reduced from a three-hour TV extravaganza of emotional acceptance speeches to a half-hour press conference.
To support the striking Writers' Guild of America (WGA), the 70 actors nominated for Golden Globes declined to attend the ceremony. In their place, some US TV entertainment reporters announced the results. The film industry paper, the Hollywood Reporter, remarked that "they rattled off the winners like flight attendants tossing out bags of peanuts on a no-frills airline".
Even the winners were losers in some respects. The Golden Globes show generally attracts a US TV audience of more than 20 million viewers, boosting the box-office prospects of the nominated films with the broadcasting of copious clips in prime time.
Presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Golden Globes have become so high-profile in recent years that they are regarded as having a significant influence on the voters who will choose the Oscars that follow a month later.
It remains to be seen if the Golden Globes will prove quite so influential this year.
Nevertheless, the film companies are determined to extract as much publicity as possible for the winners, and from today, newspaper and TV advertisements for the successful films will be festooned with their achievements at the Golden Globes.
The screen adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel Atonement took the most coveted prize, the Golden Globe for best film (drama), and it collected a second award, best original music score, for composer Dario Marianelli. The film had seven nominations, more than any other film this year, and among them was Saoirse Ronan (13), who is from Carlow and was shortlisted as best supporting actress. She lost out to Cate Blanchett for her adventurous portrayal of Bob Dylan in I'm Not There.
Wicklow resident and Irish citizen Daniel Day-Lewis deservedly received the best actor (drama) award for his performance as an avaricious oil prospector in There Will Be Blood. For her moving portrayal of a woman with Alzheimer's, Julie Christie was named best actress (drama) for Away From Her.
In the screen musical or comedy categories, Tim Burton's film of the Stephen Sondheim musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, took the awards for best film and best actor (Johnny Depp). Marion Cotillard was voted best actress in this section for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose.
Brothers Joel and Ethan Coen received the best screenplay prize for their adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel, No Country for Old Men, which also earned Javier Bardem the award for best supporting actor. Painter-turned-filmmaker Julian Schnabel was named best director for his film of Jean-Dominque Bauby's book, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, which also took the prize for best foreign-language film.
Irish actors Jonathan Rhys Meyers and James Nesbitt had been nominated in the Golden Globe TV awards, for The Tudors and Jekyll, respectively, but neither won. Jim Broadbent was named best actor (mini-series) for his portrayal of Lord Longford in Longford, which also took the prizes for best mini-series or TV film and for Samantha Morton as best supporting actress.
Queen Latifah was voted best actress (mini-series or TV film) for Life Support. The best supporting actor award went to Jeremy Piven for Entourage. In the TV drama awards, Glenn Close was named best actress, while Mad Men took the prizes for best drama series and best actor (Jon Hamm).
In the TV comedy or musical awards, Extras won for best series, while Tina Fey was named best actress for 30 Rock and David Duchovny was voted best actor for Californication.
Meanwhile, the Oscar nominations will be announced next Tuesday, with the awards ceremony scheduled for February 24th. The producers of the ceremony insist that it will go ahead but it is most unlikely to proceed unless the WGA strike ends before then.
Film
Best drama: Atonement
Best actress (drama): Julie Christie
- Away From Her
Best actor (drama): Daniel Day-Lewis
- There Will Be Blood
Best director: Julian Schnabel
- The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Best picture (musical or comedy):
Sweeney Todd
Best actress (musical or comedy):
Marion Cotillard - La Vie En Rose Best actor (musical or comedy):
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd
Best supporting actress: Cate Blanchett
- I'm Not There
Best supporting actor: Javier Bardem
- No Country for Old Men
Best screenplay: Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
- No Country for Old Men
Best animated film: Ratatouille
Best foreign language film: The Diving Bell
and the Butterfly (France, US)
Best original score: Dario Marianelli
- Atonement
Best original song: Guaranteed - Into the Wild
Television
Best drama series: Mad Men
Best actress (drama): Glenn Close - Damages Best actor (drama): Jon Hamm - Mad Men
Best series (musical or comedy): Extras
Best actress (musical or comedy):
Tina Fey - 30 Rock
Best actor (musical or comedy):
David Duchovny - Californication Best mini-series or movie: Longford
Best actress in mini-series/movie:
Queen Latifah - Life Support
Best actor in a mini-series/movie:
Jim Broadbent - Longford
Best supporting actress:
Samantha Morton - Longford
Best supporting actor:
Jeremy Piven - Entourage