BBC Los Angeles Correspondent Jane Hughes: "Titanic is in good shape for the Oscars" (2'35'')

The most expensive film ever made, Titanic, has won the Golden Globe for best dramatic picture.

"Does this prove that size matters?" joked the film's director James Cameron as he held aloft his statuette at the awards ceremony.

The $200m epic earned the best directing trophy, as well as taking the awards for best original score and song.

Reynolds: Praised for his performance in Boogie Nights

Based on the sinking of the ocean liner Titanic on April 14 in 1912, the film received a mixed reception from the critics but has been doing well at the box office since it opened in the cinemas late last year.

Amongst the other awards, two veteran performers were honored as best dramatic actors.

In a surprise victory, Peter Fonda was named as the year's best dramatic actor for his touching portrayal of a beekeeper in Ulee's Gold.

Basinger: Award for call-girl role

The British actress Judi Dench won the Golden Globe for best dramatic actress for Mrs Brown, an account of Queen Victoria's friendship with a plain-speaking horse keeper.

Britain dominated the best actress category. Helena Bonham Carter, Dame Judi Dench and Kate Winslet were among those nominated.

Burt Reynolds won a Golden Globe award for best supporting actor for his performance as a porno movie producer in Boogie Nights.

Accepting the award he said: "Please remember, if you hang on to things long enough they get back in style, like me."

Success for the star of a medical show Anthony Edwards...

Kim Basinger won the award for best supporting actress for LA Confidential, a mystery in which she plays a prostitute caught in a web of murder, drugs and police corruption.

As Good As It Gets proved the big success in the comedy or musical film category, winning for best movie and earning trophies for Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt as well as its director James Brooks.

In television, Ally McBeal, a series about a young woman lawyer, beat highly-rated shows including Seinfeld and Frazier for best musical or comedy.

...and for the star of another, Christine Lahti

Its star, Calista Flockhart, won the best actress trophy.

The best TV dramatic actor awards went to the stars of medical shows, with trophies for Christine Lahti of Chicago Hope and Anthony Edwards of ER.

The honours from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association are considered a good indication of winners at the Academy Awards on March 23.

In the last 15 years, 11 films that won best motion picture awards at the Golden Globes went on to take the same prize at the Oscars.

The numbers are about the same for the best actor and best actress awards.
 

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