"Dreamgirls" gets strong early start at Globes

Comic actor Murphy said, "I’ll be damned," then went on to thank director Bill Condon for "putting me in such a wonderful movie."

In the other top film honour midway through the Hollywood awards show, Meryl Streep won the award for best actress in a comedy for her portrayal of a wicked fashion editor in "The Devil Wears Prada." It was Streep’s sixth Golden Globe award over the years for a range of films and television shows.

Also taking home a film award was Peter Morgan, who won for best screenplay with "The Queen."

"The Song of the Heart," from the animated "Happy Feet," won for best original song in a motion picture.

KEY STOP IN OSCAR RACE

The Golden Globe awards, which are voted on by nearly 90 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are a major stop on the road to the February 25 Academy Awards because winners here often go on to compete for Oscars -- the film industry’s top awards.

The show also is televised around the world so the stars show up dripping in diamonds and wearing glamorous designer gowns and tuxedos. Parading up the red carpet outside the awards gala were a who’s who of superstardom: Jack Nicholson, Steven Spielberg, Brad Pitt alongside companion Angelina Jolie, Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

Fashions for the actresses ranged from full-length gowns like the glittering gold dress worn by pop singer Beyonce, who also stars in "Dreamgirls," to knee-high dresses such as that adorning by Renee Zellweger, nominated for best acting in a comedy or musical in "Miss Potter."

Still to come were the Globes’ top two honours, best film musical or comedy and best film drama.

The battle for best dramatic film was expected to be a close fight between director Martin Scorsese’s crime thriller "The Departed" and Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s searing cultural drama "Babel."

"Babel" has more nominations than any film -- seven -- while "The Departed" is second with six. Oscar pundit Tom O’Neil calls the best drama race a toss-up between the two.

Also nominated in that category are "The Queen," an inside look at the British royal family; "Bobby," about the assassination of Robert Kennedy; "The Queen"; and "Little Children," a drama of adultery starring Kate Winslet.

Comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen’s box office hit, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," was nominated in the best musical or comedy group along with "The Devil Wears Prada," "Dreamgirls," "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Thank You for Smoking."

"Dreamgirls" and "Sunshine" are strong favourites, and a Golden Globe victory will give either an added boost for Oscars.

While the movie awards are the show’s highlight, Golden Globe voters also give out awards for U.S. television shows. Among the top award winners in the TV arena were Kyra Sedgwick, named best actress in a drama for crime program "The Closer," and Hugh Laurie as best actor in a drama with hospital show "House."