By Alan Hurst
True to form, the 2019 Golden Globe winners for film and television were a mixture of the expected and some head scratchers.
Foremost was the award for Best Motion Picture Drama to Bohemian Rhapsody, over competitors BlacKkKlansman, Black Panther, If Beale Street Count Talk and A Star Is Born (the expected winner). First, Bohemian Rhapsody was in the wrong category – if this isn’t a musical, what is? Second, it was an OK biopic but this didn’t break new ground. I think the Globes will be taking yet another credibility hit with this one. Rami Malek also was a bit of surprise for his win as Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his work as Freddie Mercury in the film. He’s excellent, but many expected this award to go to Bradley Cooper for A Star Is Born.
In fact one of the big shocks of the night was the almost complete shut out of A Star Is Born. It was expected to take Best Motion Picture Drama, Actress, and possibly Actor and Director. Its only win was Best Song for “Shallow”.
Oscar chances also seem to be dwindling for Mary Poppins Returns.
On the plus side, the love for Green Book may help focus some deserved attention on that film and increase its profile going into the Oscars. It won for Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali and Best Screenplay.
Roma also looks to be strong going into the Oscars with wins for Best Foreign Motion Picture and Best Director for Alfonso Cuaron.
And Glenn Close got a nice boost with her win Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama for her superb work in The Wife, which may help in her quest to finally win the Oscar that has been eluding her for her entire career.
The television awards weren’t as wild, but the new Netflix comedy The Kominsky Method managed wins for Best Series, Musical or Comedy and its star Michael Douglas. It’s worth a look.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story replicated its deserved wins from the Emmys and it was nice to see the acclaimed Bodyguard get some attention for lead actor Richard Madden.
Highlights of the show were the two career awards for Jeff Bridges and Carol Burnett. Bridges received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in film and Burnett received the very first lifetime achievement award for television, aptly named the Carol Burnett award.
Full list of winners:
Film
- Best Motion Picture, Drama: Bohemian Rhapsody
- Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: Green Book
- Best Director, Motion Picture: Alfonso Cuaron for Roma
- Best Actress, Drama: Glenn Close for The Wife
- Best Actor, Drama: Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody
- Best Actress, Musical or Comedy: Olivia Colman for The Favourite
- Best Actor, Musical or Comedy: Christian Bale for Vice
- Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture: Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk
- Best Supporting Actor, Motion Picture: Mahershala Ali for Green Book
- Best Screenplay, Motion Picture: Green Book
- Best Motion Picture, Animated: Spider-Man – Into the Spider-Verse
- Best Motion Picture, Foreign Language: Roma
- Best Original Score, Motion Picture: First Man
- Best Original Song, Motion Picture: “Shallow” from A Star Is Born
TV
- Best Television Series, Drama: The Americans
- Best Television Series, Musical for Comedy: The Kominsky Method
- Best Television Limited Series for Movie: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
- Best Actress, Drama: Sandra Oh for Killing Eve
- Best Actor, Drama: Richard Madden for Bodyguard
- Best Actress, Musical or Comedy: Rachel Brosnahan for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- Best Actor, Musical or Comedy: Michael Dougals for The Kominsky Method
- Best Actress, Limited Series or Movie: Patricia Arquette for Escape at Dannemora
- Best Actor, Limited Series or Movie: Darren Criss for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
- Best Supporting Actress, Television: Patricia Clarkson for Sharp Objects
- Best Supporting Actor, Television: Ben Whishaw for A Very English Scandal
Hooked from a first viewing of Mary Poppins at four and after school reruns of I Love Lucy, Alan has been a movie and TV enthusiast ever since. A particular aficionado of films from the late thirties through the seventies, he enjoys helping others discover the joys of those films, directors and stars. His career has careened from journalism to public relations to marketing, always with one foot in the arts and with a unique ability to relate all work and life experiences back to a movie. Alan’s top five desert island films are Bonnie and Clyde, Sunset Boulevard, Cabaret, Mildred Pierce and, with no apologies, Mary Poppins. Alan’s focus will be on films from Hollywood’s first golden era (and a little beyond) as well as TV.
