Surprise-Filled Globes Honors “American Hustle,” “12 Years a Slave” and TV's “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”

"American Hustle" dominated the film categories Sunday at the 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards. The art-heist caper received the most trophies, winning best motion picture, best actress Amy Adams, and best supporting actress Jennifer Lawrence in a comedy or musical.

The gritty, pre-Civil War epic "12 Years a Slave" was handed the Globe for best picture, drama.

With seven nominations each, "Hustle" and "Slave" were expected to be the night's big winners. But by the time the ceremony credits rolled, "Slave" had been snubbed in every other category bar best dramatic picture.

Also unexpected was the love showered on freshman TV series "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," which won Andy Samberg the best actor in a TV series, comedy or musical award. The Fox show also beat enduring hits "Big Bang Theory," "Modern Family," "Girls" and "Parks and Recreation" to be named best comedy series.

"Breaking Bad" matched "Brooklyn Nine-Nine's" two wins, taking best dramatic TV series, and best actor for it's star Bryan Cranston. "It's such a lovely way to say goodbye to the show that meant so much to me," Cranston said, adding the exposure from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association would mean "the world can now share in 'Breaking Bad's' mirth and merriment."

Returning hosts Amy Poehler and Tina Fey ably helmed a ceremony which at times veered from the laugh-inducing (Melissa McCarthy's Matt Damon impersonation) to the downright confusing (Jacqueline Bisset's rambling acceptance speech).

The "SNL" alums delivered an opening set of jokes laced with enough barbs to deflate bloated Hollywood egos, but not enough to puncture the fun of an evening more freewheeling than the self-reverential Oscars.

No star was safe, big or small, from their caustic quips. Referencing the multi-generational celebrity wattage in the room, Fey said to Matt Damon, "Tonight Matt, you're basically a garbage person."

"American Hustle" took an early lead in the proceedings, delivering stars Adams and Lawrence to the winner's circle. Adams teared up at the podium. "I always cry when I am not supposed to and when a director asks me to, I can’t," she said, before thanking "Hustle" director David O. Russell for writing "such amazing roles for women."

Lawrence continued to dominate acting award categories a year after she swept the Globes and Oscars with her role in "Silver Linings Playbook." Visibly shaken, Lawrence was surprised at her reaction to the win. "I don't why it is so terrifying cause it's such a good thing," she said with a trembling voice, adding to the room, "Don't ever do this again, its so scary."

Matthew McConaughey accepted his best actor in a dramatic picture award for "Dallas Buyers Club" by reciting the first lines he ever uttered onscreen. "Alright, alright, alright," he said, quoting Wooderson, his stoner character from 1993's "Dazed and Confused." McConaughey beat heavy-hitters Tom Hanks ("Captain Phillips"), Robert Redford ("All Is Lost"), Chiwetel Ejiofor ("12 Years a Slave") and Idris Elba ("Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom") to claim the prize.

McConaughey's "Dallas" co-star Jared Leto received the supporting actor in a motion picture Globe for his gender-bending role in the 80's AIDS drama.

Awarded best actor in a musical or comedy for "The Wolf of Wall Street," Leonardo DiCaprio thanked his "visionary" director Martin Scorsese for the mentorship he had received. It was that film's only award on the night. Scorsese failed to get a Globes' directing nomination, with the category ultimately going to Alfonso Cuaron for "Gravity."

"Gravity" star and audience favorite Sandra Bullock lost to critically-praised Cate Blanchett, who walked away with the best actress drama award for her work in Woody Allen's "Blue Jasmine."

2014 Golden Globes: Full List of Winners

Jacqueline Bisset was awarded the Globe for actress in a supporting role in a TV series or mini-series and delivered a rambling speech containing elongated periods of silence, a semi-bleeped expletive, some familial wisdom: "Like my mum used to say - go to hell and don't come back," and advice for up and coming actors: "If you want to look good you have to forgive everybody," Bisset said as the music swelled in an effort to usher her from the stage.

"Behind the Candelabra," HBO's Liberace biopic starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon was awarded best TV mini-series or motion picture. The best actor win for his embodiment of the flamboyant entertainer brought Douglas' career Globe tally to four. Thanking fellow nominee in the same category Damon, Douglas referred to his co-star as "the bravest, most talented actor I have ever worked with," and the only reason he was not onstage was because Douglas got to wear "more sequins."

"Her" scribe Spike Jonze won the best screenplay trophy, and Disney's "Frozen" was named best animated feature. The Golden Globe for best foreign language film went to "The Great Beauty," from Italy.

In the music categories, best original score went to "All Is Lost," and rock group U2 won best original song for "Ordinary Love" from "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom."

Netflix received its first major award season love when Robin Wright was announced as best supporting actress in a TV series, drama, for her icy portrayal of a ruthless Beltway wife in "House of Cards."

Another surprise winner was co-host Poehler, who was awarded best actress in a TV series, comedy or musical, for her work on NBC's "Parks and Recreation." "I never win," a beaming and delighted Poehler gushed.

The Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement went to Woody Allen. The prolific director, notorious for not attending award ceremonies throughout his career, was again not in attendance. Diane Keaton, Allen's longtime friend and muse, accepted the honor on his behalf.

"We don’t often associate people in show business with friendship," Keaton said."These encounters with the extraordinary – though wonderful – rarely become 45-year-old friendships." Adding that it filled her "with pride, affection and love" to accept the award for Allen, Keaton sang the following verse as an acceptance sign-off: "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold. A circle is round it has no end, that’s how long we will be friends... Here's to Woody!"

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