JOIN USHostage-crisis drama “Argo” beat civil war movie “Lincoln” to win the best picture and best director awards at the Golden Globes on Monday while “Les Miserables” was named best musical or comedy with its actors Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway taking home a trophy each.
Ben Affleck-directed “Argo” is inspired by the 1979 hostage crisis of US diplomats in Iran. Other nominees in the best drama category were “Django Unchained”, “Life of Pi” and ‘Zero Dark Thirty’.
Steven Spielberg-directed ‘Lincoln’, leading with seven nominations, had a disappointing run as it took home only the best actor trophy won by Daniel Day-Lewis for his turn as the 16th US president Abraham Lincoln trying to abolish slavery in a civil war-torn country.
The film may have better prospects at the Oscars next month. Globes also did not favour India-centric drama “Life of Pi”. The film won a single trophy - best original score by Mychael Danna - but lost out in the best drama and best director categories.
Affleck missed out on a best director nod at the Oscars but the actor-director had a reason to rejoice at the Golden Globes as his political drama won him the best director and picture gong.“Look, I don’t care what the award is. When they put your name next to the names she just read off, it’s an extraordinary thing in your life,” Affleck said after actress Halle Berry read out the names of best director nominees — Spielberg, Lee, Kathryn Bigelow and Quentin Tarantino. Day-Lewis beat fellow nominees Richard Gere in “Arbitrage”, John Hawkes in “The Sessions” Joaquin Phoenix in “The Master” and Denzel Washington in “Flight”.
“My fellow nominees, boys and girls, such beautiful performances this year. I’m very proud to be one amongst you. You have given me an experience that I will treasure until the end of my life,” said the actor, who has previously won a globe for the 2008 film ‘There Will Be Blood’.
The highlight of the evening was a surprise appearance by former president Bill Clinton. “Are you sure there’s room for another ex-president on the stage,” Lewis joked while accepting his award. Jessica Chastain, who won the best drama actress Golden Globe for playing a CIA agent in “Zero Dark Thirty”, a film on the US manhunt of Osama bin Laden, said, “I have auditioned and struggled and fought and been on the sidelines for years. To be here now in this moment is a beautiful feeling, to receive this encouragement and support.”
Jennifer Lawrence beat veterans like Meryl Streep and Judi Dench to win the best actress trophy in the
musical or comedy category for ‘Silver Linings Playbook’. Lawrence played a troubled widow in the film, which also starred Indian actor Anupam Kher in a key role. She is also in the race for the best actress trophy at the Oscars on February 24.