'A Beautiful Mind,' 'Moulin Rouge' win multiple Golden Globes and key Oscar boosts

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) _ ``A Beautiful Mind'' was named best drama and its star Russell Crowe won the top dramatic actor trophy as the Golden Globes rewarded stories of love under the duress

Monday, January 21st 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) _ ``A Beautiful Mind'' was named best drama and its star Russell Crowe won the top dramatic actor trophy as the Golden Globes rewarded stories of love under the duress of madness, despair and illness.

``A Beautiful Mind'' collected a leading four Globes Sunday night and was followed by triple winner ``Moulin Rouge,'' which was awarded the Globe for best musical or comedy and earned a best actress honor for Nicole Kidman.

If conventional wisdom holds, the Golden Globe recognition will be a boost for the Oscar chances of the two films when the Academy Awards are presented in March.

``A Beautiful Mind'' captured the attention of Hollywood Foreign Press Association voters with its dramatization of the true-life story of Nobel prize-winning John Forbes Nash Jr., a schizophrenic math genius who rebuilds his life with the help of his devoted wife.

``I wanted to give a greater understanding to mental illness,'' said producer Brian Grazer. ``And I hope in some way we achieved this.''

The film also won for best screenplay and best supporting dramatic actress, Jennifer Connelly.

Although ``A Beautiful Mind'' omits and fictionalizes elements of the Nashes' lives, the movie was most concerned with dramatizing the mutual dedication of two suffering people, Connelly said.

``I think the essence of their story is really captured in the film,'' she said. ``I think that the Nashes most importantly are happy with it, and that it accurately presents their story.''

The hyperactive musical ``Moulin Rouge'' blended fantasy storytelling techniques and anachronistic pop songs in a tale of forbidden romance.

Kidman plays a dying cabaret singer wallowing in sadness until a dashing romantic, played by Ewan McGregor, sweeps her off her feet.

``My hands are shaking,'' Kidman said. ``This is really, really special because I never thought I'd be in a musical _ let alone win an award for one.''

The supporting dramatic actor honor went to Jim Broadbent for playing the husband of novelist Iris Murdoch, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, in ``Iris.''

Broadbent portrayed writer John Bayley, Murdoch's brilliant but childlike husband, who nursed his dying wife as her once-sharp mind deteriorated.

Robert Altman took the directing honor for his murder-mystery satire ``Gosford Park,'' which chronicles the scandals of English aristocrats through the eyes of their servants.

Sissy Spacek was named best dramatic actress for the dark drama ``In the Bedroom,'' about a husband and wife who must reconcile after a family tragedy.

``I feel so blessed to get to do what I love to do and work with so many wonderfully talented people,'' Spacek said.

Gene Hackman earned the comedy actor Globe for his performance as the conniving head of a family of former child prodigies in ``The Royal Tenenbaums.''

Bosnia's ``No Man's Land'' received the foreign language film Globe. Sting was the victor in the movie song category for his romantic waltz ``Until ...,'' from the comedy ``Kate & Leopold.''

Absent during this year's telecast were the outrageous antics or remarks that have given the Globes notoriety. It showed that Hollywood is largely maintaining a toned-down attitude since the Sept. 11 attacks.

In the television categories, HBO's ``Sex and the City'' took best comedy and star Sarah Jessica Parker was cited as best comedic actress. The cable network's funeral home drama ``Six Feet Under'' was best drama series.

Charlie Sheen got the comedic actor award for ABC's ``Spin City.''

Kiefer Sutherland's role as a CIA agent in the real-time thriller ''24'' won a dramatic TV actor trophy, and Jennifer Garner claimed the dramatic TV actress award for playing a sexy spy in ABC's ``Alias.''

HBO's World War II drama ``Band of Brothers'' won best miniseries.

Judy Davis received the miniseries actress award for ABC's ``Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows'' and James Franco the miniseries actor prize for TNT's ``James Dean.''

Harrison Ford, star of the ``Indiana Jones'' adventures and the original ``Star Wars'' trilogy, took home the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award.