The 77th Golden Globes were meant to be a coronation for Netflix. Instead, a pair of big-screen epics took top honors on Sunday, as Sam Mendes technically dazzling World War I tale 1917 won best picture, drama, and Quentin Tarantinos radiant Los Angeles fable Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood won best film, comedy or musical.

The wins for 1917 were a surprise, besting such favorites as Noah Baumbachs Marriage Story, the leading nominee with six nods, and Martin Scorseses The Irishman. Both are acclaimed Netflix releases but collectively took home just one award, for Laura Derns supporting performance as a divorce attorney in Marriage Story. The Irishman was shut out.

1917 also won best director for Mendes. The film was made in sinuous long takes, giving the impression that the movie unfolds in one lengthy shot.

I hope this means that people will turn up and see this on the big screen, the way it was intended, said Mendes, whose film expands nationwide on Friday.

Though set around the 1969 Manson murders Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood was classified a comedy and had an easier path to victory than the more competitive drama category. Brad Pitt won for best supporting actor, his first acting Globe since winning in 1996 for 12 Monkeys, padding his front-runner status for the Oscars. Tarantino also won best screenplay.

I wanted to bring my mom, but I couldn’t because any woman I stand next to they say I am dating so its just be awkward, Pitt said.

Ricky Gervais, hosting the NBC-telecast ceremony for the fifth time, began the evening with an expletive-laden plea against hypocrisy, telling winners to stick to thanking their agent and their god. But throughout the night, winners seized their moment to speak about current events including the wildfires in Australia, rising tensions with Iran, women’s rights and the importance of LGBT trailblazers.

Patricia Arquette, a winner for her performance in Hulu’s The Act, referenced the United States’ targeted killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, saying history wouldn’t remember the day for the Globes but will see a country on the brink of war. She urged all to vote in November’s presidential election.

Gervais opened the show by stating that Netflix had taken over Hollywood. given its commanding 34 nominations coming into the Globes. This show should just be me coming out going: Well done, Netflix. You win everything tonight,” he said.

As it turned out, he was wrong. Netflix won only two awards: Dern’s win plus one for Olivia Colman’s performance in The Crown. It was a definite hiccup for the streaming service, which is aiming for its first best-picture win at the Academy Awards next month.

Instead, the awards were widely spread out among traditional Hollywood studios, indie labels like A24, cable heavyweights like HBO and relative newcomers like Hulu.

Renee Zelleweger (“Judy”) took home best actress in a drama, her fourth Globe. But, as always at the Globes, there were surprises. Taron Egerton, a regular presence on the awards circuit this year, won best actor in a comedy or musical for his Elton John in Rocketman” an honor many had pegged for Eddie Murphy (“Dolemite Is My Name”).

Awkwafina, the star of the hit indie family drama The Farewell, became the first woman of Asian descent to win best actress in a comedy or musical. If anything, if I fall upon hard times, I can sell this, said Awkwafina, holding the award.

Egyptian-American actor Ramy Youssef won best actor in a comedy series for his Hulu show Ramy.” But the winners were otherwise largely white, something the Globes have been criticised for.

Michelle Williams, who won best actress in a limited series for Fosse/Verdon,” stood up for women’s reproductive rights in her acceptance speech.

When it’s time to vote, please do so in your self interest, Williams said. It’s what men have been doing for years, which is why the world looks so much like them.

Best actor has been this year’s most competitive category, with nominees including Adam Driver ( “Marriage Story”) and Antonio Banderas ( “Pain and Glory”). But Joaquin Phoenix won for his loose-limbed performance in the divisive but hugely popular Joker. Phoenix gave a rambling speech that began with crediting the HFPA with the vegan meal served at the ceremony.

Dern’s best supporting actress award for her performance as a divorce attorney in Marriage Story, was her fifth Globe. Her win denied Jennifer Lopez, the Hustlers star, her first major acting award.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2020