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WAR EPIC 1917 shocked the Golden Globes last night by claiming the top prize for best drama film, while Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood won the most honours, massively boosting their prospects for next month’s Oscars.
Once Upon a Time… — an homage to 1960s Tinseltown — won three prizes including best comedy, but Martin Scorsese’s much-vaunted Netflix crime saga The Irishman went home empty-handed.
Two Irish nominees, Saoirse Ronan for Little Women and Andrew Scott for Fleabag, both lost out in their respective categories.
Ronan lost out to Reneé Zellweger in the Best Actress Drama category while Scott lost to Stellan Skarsgård in in TV’s Supporting Actor category.
The Globes are the first major awards gala of the year, in a packed season that ends with the Academy Awards in just over a month’s time, so last night’s winners will hope to capitalize on some much-needed momentum.
1917 follows two British soldiers through the trenches in World War I, and is filmed to look like one continuous, two-hour-long shot.
“Goodness me, that is a big surprise,” said stunned filmmaker Sam Mendes, who bested Scorsese and Tarantino in the crowded best director category.
Dedicating the film to his grandfather who signed up to fight aged just 17, Mendes added: “I hope he’s looking down on us and I fervently hope it never happens again.”
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The film’s lead actor George MacKay — a 27-year-old relative unknown in Hollywood — told AFP he was “just thrilled, proper thrilled” when the announcement was made.
“It’s a wonderful thing. It’s truly just so brilliant for the film and everyone involved. It’s the biggest team effort ever.”
Tarantino won the best screenplay award, and Brad Pitt took home best supporting actor honors for his role as a loyal stuntman to Leonardo DiCaprio’s character in Once Upon a Time…
“I also have to thank my partner in crime, LDC,” said Pitt.
“I wouldn’t be here without you, man… I would have shared the raft, though,” he added, referring to the closing scene of “Titanic.”
Phoenix, Zellweger win big
Elton John musical biopic Rocketman was the other big winner on the night, scooping best actor for Taron Egerton and best original song for John, who was heavily involved in the movie.
“I’m overjoyed — it’s incredible,” Egerton told AFP. “It’s been the best experience of my life, and winning this is just such a lovely crystallization of all of that.”
The top films clearly resonated with the 90-odd members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which doles out the prizes, but frontrunners in the acting categories also made their mark.
Joaquin Phoenix cemented his Oscar favorite status by winning the best drama actor prize for his radical turn in Joker, a dark and controversial take on the comic book super-villain.
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He thanked director Todd Phillips, saying: “You convinced me to do this movie and you encouraged me to give everything and to be sincere. And I’m such a pain in the ass.”
Like several A-listers, Phoenix also used his speech to address climate change and the Australian wildfires.
Zellweger burnished her Oscar credentials with an expected win for biopic Judy, portraying Judy Garland in her later years.
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South Korean black comedy Parasite bagged the award for best foreign language film, as widely expected, while Awkwafina became the first actress of Asian descent to win the best comedy actress prize for The Farewell.
Oscar nominations voting is already under way, but does not close until Tuesday — meaning the Globes results could be a factor.
Gervais roasts Hollywood
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British comic Ricky Gervais greeted the stars at the booze-soaked banquet with his signature cutting one-liners.
“Let’s go out with a bang, let’s have a laugh at your expense, shall we?” joked Gervais, hosting the awards for the fifth and final time.
Gervais unleashed a no-holds-barred monologue that touched on topics haunting the industry including #MeToo, lack of diversity and the effect streaming giants are having on traditional film studios.
An off-colour joke about British actress Judi Dench and the critically slammed film “Cats” was bleeped out by censors.
Netflix flops
Among the Globes handed out on the TV side, HBO hit Succession won best drama, fending off Netflix’s flagship The Crown.
Its star Brian Cox won for best actor, as HBO won the TV battle with four wins overall.
But Crown star Olivia Colman scooped best actress for her turn as Queen Elizabeth II.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge added a best comedy actress Globe to her Emmy win for her show Fleabag, which also won overall top comedy honors.
Netflix — which has disrupted the film industry in recent years — began the night far ahead of the traditional Hollywood studios with 17 Globe movie nominations.
“This show should just be me coming out, (saying) ‘You win everything, Netflix, good night,” joked Gervais.
But the streaming giant, which has spent billions to lure the industry’s top filmmaking talent, flopped to end with just one movie win.
Laura Dern won for her supporting turn in Marriage Story, a heart-wrenching divorce saga starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, which began the night with the most nods at six.
The Irishman, a favorite to win best picture that cost Netflix $160 million to make, did not convert any of its five nominations.
© – AFP 2020 with reporting by Rónán Duffy
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Top performance by gervais.
@Jeremiah A Craic: Yep. Kudos to him for calling out all the sanctimonious prats in the audience on all their hypocrisy. Doing his best not to get invited back.
@Jeremiah A Craic: he’s the main reason I won’t watch it.
@Jeremiah A Craic:
https://youtu.be/Ktkqn-CyMI8
Funny because it’s true.
@Raven:
The end line about those so-called celebs being in no position to lecture the public about anything was spot on, and even drew applause from some of the crowd. You wonder if they’ll take the advice, though.
@The Quare Fella:
Not a hope, their egos won’t allow it.
Whatever about Netflix flops still better than the drivel our forced licence fee station churns out.
@Jim O Brien – TechBuzz Ireland: yawn
@Jim O Brien – TechBuzz Ireland: you expect RTE to be able to compete with Netflix? Jazus!
@Jeremiah A Craic: OK faceless
The Irishman, excruciatingly boring, awful storyline, nothing happens in it, at all. What was the point?
@BillyCroft: I agree with all the above. I can’t understand why it gets such good reviews.
@Dow Dubrov: Casino isn’t great, but I enjoyed it in many parts, it’s still 10 times better than The Irishman.
@BillyCroft: ‘The Irishman’: A total waste of time, talent and money. Gave up after 90 minutes. Cliched, formalistic tripe.
@BillyCroft: what put me off the film was the obvious old age of the actors, playing characters half their age. De Niro could hardly walk and don’t start me on Al Pacinos hair, it should win an oscar on it’s own for most ridiculous hairdo.
@Conoroconnor: Yes, the so called “ageing technology” didn’t quiet work. Apart from that it was an excellent film, great story, great script, great acting.
Okay! It didn’t have guys flying around in iron suits or guys throwing magic hammers, but it can’t have everything.
@Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh: I agree it could have been a great film. But I just couldn’t get over that aging thing.
@Conoroconnor: I agree. The problem with the anti ageing tech is, we know what these actors looked like when they were younger and they didn’t look like that. Very off putting
@BillyCroft: I read reviews and expected nothing actually really liked it. It’s more about the men at their old ages thinking back on what they done, serious reflection and how it’s not all completely heartless there was close friendships no bigger than the code of the life they lived. How decisions were made and friendships and alliances were formed not like other movies when it’s all about living high life for main characters below the big dons like good fellas. I think the bad reviews seem to be about what people wanted or expected in the storyline vs what they got. Not what I expected at all and I like the thoughts it touched on.
Fleabag is one of the best British shows ever.
@Conoroconnor: never mind British, one of the best shows ever
Absolutely fantastic storytelling
@colm connolly: yep, it’s a work of genius. She’s one incredibly talented woman.
Ricky delivered a powerful message last night – If we are not too dumbed-down to understand it.
@Combat Arena: In his own words: “Remember, they are just jokes”
I doubt very much he believes that Felicity Hufmann made the license plate for his limo, So I wouldn’t but to much credence into someones analysis of his other set ups.
Once upon a time, best comedy? Biggest disappointment of ever had to endure.
In his own words: “Remember, they are just jokes”
Once upon a time was rubbish. Nothing happened until the end ..
Is nobody going to mention Pierce Brosnan’s ridiculous facial hair, was a highlight of the night. The names Sanders, Colonel Sanders
have your say