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Monday, January 31, 2005 12:52 PM
Jamie Fox wins Golden Globe
The Golden Globes celebrated Hollywood’s time-tested veterans and its
more youthful side for the 62nd annual edition of the awards show Sunday.
“The Aviator,” director Martin Scorsese’s epic-size biography
of Howard Hughes’ Hollywood years, landed the prize for best drama.
Clint Eastwood won best director for “Million Dollar Baby,” beating
out Scorsese.
Leonardo DiCaprio won the dramatic award for “The Aviator,” while
Jamie Foxx won for musical or comedy with his breakout performance in “Ray.”
Hilary Swank won best actress in a drama for her portrayal of a female boxer
molded into a winner by a reticent gym boss (Eastwood).
Annette Bening took best actress in a film comedy or musical for “Being
Julia.” And both of the supporting awards went to actors from the drama
“Closer” -- Clive Owen and Natalie Portman. The independent film
“Sideways,” which led with seven nominations, captured the award
for best comedy or musical, as well as best screenplay.
The Golden Globes have become the second-biggest movie awards show, after
the granddaddy of them all, the Academy Awards. The Oscars will be given out
February 27. The Globes help provide a snapshot of the Oscar horse race, which
this year has a number of favorites but no clear front-runner.
Movie fans were paying particularly close attention to best drama, where “The
Aviator” knocked out the other leading contender, “Million Dollar
Baby.”Observers were in more agreement when it came to comedy/musical.
“Sideways” has dominated critics’ polls, having been named
best film of 2004 by the New York, Boston and Los Angeles film critics.
Also a heavy favorite was Foxx, whose performance as Ray Charles in “Ray”
was lauded even by critics who thought the film was weak.
“Can I just tell you that I am having the ride of my life right now?”
Foxx said in his acceptance speech. “I wish I could take what I’m
feeling right now and put it in the water system, and we would all love each
other a whole lot more.”
With a record three Globe nominations, Foxx missed out in his other two categories.In
the best actress-drama category, Swank got the nod over Imelda Staunton, who
played an English abortionist in “Vera Drake.”
And then there was best director, a two-person contest between two venerable
names: the winner, Eastwood, a longtime Hollywood hand who has stuck to his
guns as a director; and Scorsese, the New York cineaste whose recent films
have veered away from his gritty roots to epic aspirations.
But if you’re trying to make early decisions for your Oscar pool, the
Globes are hit or miss. In the past, the Globes have paralleled the Academy
Awards in picking best film winners. But recently the Oscars haven’t
matched the Globe picks for best actor and actress -- even with dual drama
and comedy/musical slots.
The Golden Globes can be rather idiosyncratic. The Hollywood Foreign Press
Association, the organization of about 90 journalists that handles the awards,
probably will never live down giving a best newcomer award to Pia Zadora for
her performance in 1981’s “Butterfly.”
However, the group does know how to put on a show. The Golden Globes attract
the top names, dispense with the dance numbers and offer free alcohol to the
attendant throng, which makes for a very good time indeed.
Actor and comedian Robin Williams, the winner of five previous Golden Globes,
was given the Cecil B. DeMille Award for career achievement. In his manic
acceptance speech, Williams joked about Zadora’s win but ended on a
somber note, dedicating his award to actor Christopher Reeve, who died last
year.
The Globes also honor achievements in television, with best drama going to
FX’s “Nip/Tuck” and ABC’s “Desperate Housewives”
winning in the comedy/musical category.
Jason Bateman won best actor in a musical or comedy for his work on FOX’s
“Arrested Development,” while Teri Hatcher took best actress for
her performance on “Desperate Housewives.”
Ian McShane was named best actor in a drama for HBO’s “Deadwood,”
and Mariska Hargitay was named best actress for her work on NBC’s “Law
& Order: Special Victims Unit.” Best actress went to Glenn Close
for Showtime’s “The Lion in Winter.”
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