NBC’s telecast of the 66th Golden Globe Awards was turning into a predictable, ho-hum affair Sunday night at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles. Not as dull as last year’s event, when the writers' strike reduced it to an extended press conference, but almost.
Then Tracy Morgan, Kate Winslet, and Mickey Rourke saved the day... uh, night.
Winslet became the third person in Globe history to win two film acting awards, Rourke continued his career comeback by jumping off the mat as The Wrestler to defeat a strong field for best actor in a drama, and Morgan, as the “face of post-racial America,” rocked the star-studded house in an acceptance speech for best TV comedy 30 Rock.
They were the highlights of the three-hour show along with Slumdog Millionaire, the darling of fans and critics alike about a poor teenager from the streets of India seeking fame, fortune, and love while competing on the country’s version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. The movie continued to steamroll its higher-budgeted and seemingly more formidable competition, just like it did at the Critics Choice Awards three days earlier.
Slumdog went 4-for-4 at the Golden Globes, winning for best film (drama), best director (Danny Boyle), best screenplay (Simon Beaufoy), and best original score (A.R. Rahman).
They were all Critics Choice Awards winners, too. And while the plaudits for a feel-good arthouse film with subtitles attract more well-deserved attention and ensure its chances at Academy Awards time, the same Slumdog faces making acceptance speeches did little to create much spontaneity Sunday night.
The awards for excellence in television intermingled with the film categories, but there were few surprises there, too.
HBO’s John Adams, the seven-part series about the nation’s second president, dominated the drama categories, including best mini-series or motion picture made for TV and acting awards to Paul Giamatti (best actor), Laura Linney (best actress), and Tom Wilkinson (best supporting actor).
And while winners Tina Fey (best actress) and Alec Baldwin (best actor) continued to establish 30 Rock’s hold as TV’s most beloved comedy among critics (if not viewers), it was another cast member, former Saturday Night Live player Tracy Morgan, who stole the show Sunday night.
Article comments
1 - carmen
I enjoyed the evening and like your review of it as well. Looking forward to the Oscars and still hoping Slumdog will do well again.