The ode to the golden age of filmmaking took awards for best comedy, best actor (lead Jean Dujardin) and original score.

Largely viewed as a prelude to the Academy Awards, the Globes also awarded The Descendants, The Help, W.E. and The Iron Lady.

British stars figured heavily in the glittering awards ceremony. Period drama Downton Abbey took the best miniseries award, and Kate Winslet, wearing a black-and-white , won best actress in a miniseries or movie for her role in Mildred Pierce.

Meryl Streep and Madonna both won for their cinematic treatments of British subjects—Streep took home a best actress award for Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady and Madonna won a gong for best original song, in W.E. ELLE cover star Michelle Williams took home the best actress in a musical or comedy award for playing Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn.

And then there was the host. Producers knew what to expect when they gave repeat offender Ricky Gervais his third hosting gig. ‘Now, the Hollywood Foreign Press have warned me that if I insult any of you or any of them or offend any viewers or cause any controversy whatsoever, they'll definitely invite me back next year as well,’ he joked.

Gervais took advantage of NBC’s bleep-catching seven-second delay, but couldn’t be tamed into treating Hollywood names kindly. ‘The Golden Globes are to the Oscars what Kim Kardashian is to Kate Middleton,’ he said. ‘A bit louder, a bit trashier, a bit drunker, and more easily bought. Allegedly. Nothing's been proved.’

None of that loud, trashy reputation was in evidence on the red carpet. Stars indulged in no-holds-barred glamour, with fishtail hems (Reese Witherspoon in , Sofia Vergara in , Julianne Moore in ), bridal-white gowns (Jessica Biel in , Jessica Chastain in , Kate Beckinsale in ) and crystals (Zooey Deschanel in , Lea Michele in , Madonna in ) galore.

Standouts included The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo star Rooney Mara in , Natalie Portman in fuchsia and red and The Help’s Emma Stone, also in Lanvin.

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