‘Argo,’ ‘Les Miserables’ win big at Golden Globes

This film image released by Universal Pictures shows Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, left, and Anne Hathaway as Fantine in a scene from “Les Miserables.” The film was nominated for an Academy Award for best picture on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013. The 85th Academy Awards will air live on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 on ABC. AP/Universal Pictures

LOS ANGELES – Ben Affleck’s Iran hostage drama “Argo” and musical “Les Miserables” were the big winners Sunday at the Golden Globes, while Steven Spielberg’s presidential drama “Lincoln” won only one major award.

Affleck won the top prizes of best dramatic film and director for his movie about a CIA mission to rescue diplomats caught in Tehran in 1979, while “Les Miserables” won best film, actor and supporting actress in the musical/comedy category.

Daniel Day-Lewis won best drama actor for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln at the 70th annual Globe awards, but that was the only top award for Spielberg’s film, which had topped the nominations tally with seven.

Jessica Chastain meanwhile won best actress in a drama for her role as a relentless CIA agent tracking down Osama bin Laden in Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty,” while Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” won two key prizes.

Affleck, who also stars as a CIA agent who rescues six US diplomats who took refuge in the Canadian ambassador’s residence in Tehran in 1979, paid tribute to real-life agents and diplomats, including the character he was playing.

“Really this award is about Tony Mendez. You saw him. He’s an American hero. He represents the (US) foreign service making sacrifices every day for Americans. Our troops overseas. I want to thank them very much,” he said.

The movie has been accused of taking liberties with history, notably by exaggerating the role of the CIA in getting the US diplomats out, at the expense of the Canadian envoy in Tehran at the time.

“Les Miserables,” a musical adapted from the book by Victor Hugo, won best musical/comedy movie, while Australian actor Hugh Jackman won best actor for his all-singing role, and co-star Anne Hathaway won best supporting actress.

In his acceptance speech, Jackman – praised for his vocal skills in the movie – revealed that he almost gave up the starring role of Jean Valjean only a few weeks before it started filming, after “humiliating” rehearsals.

“My wife talked me off the cliff like she talks me (down) most days,” he said.

Hathaway won for her portrayal of the young mother and prostitute Fantine, beating fellow nominees Amy Adams in “The Master,” Sally Field in “Lincoln,” Helen Hunt in “The Sessions” and Nicole Kidman in “The Paperboy.”

Day-Lewis, who had been widely expected to win for his turn in “Lincoln,” had to make do with being the only big winner for Spielberg’s movie — which has also topped nominations for next month’s Oscars.

“My fellow nominees, boys and girls, such beautiful performances this year. I’m very proud to be one amongst you,” said Day-Lewis, paying tribute to Spielberg as a “humble master with a quicksilver imagination” and a friend.

Tarantino’s blood-soaked spaghetti Western tribute “Django Unchained” meanwhile won two Globes: best supporting actor for Austrian Christoph Waltz, and best screenplay for the “Pulp Fiction” director himself.

“This is a damn surprise, and I’m happy to be surprised,” said Tarantino, whose film tells the story of a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) who teams up with a dentist-turned-bounty-hunter a few years before the American Civil War.

British songstress Adele, making her first red carpet appearance since giving birth in October, won best song for the theme tune from James Bond blockbuster “Skyfall.”

Best foreign language film went to Austrian Michael Haneke’s “Amour,” which won the Cannes Palme d’Or last year.

“Hunger Games” star Jennifer Lawrence won best musical/comedy actress for rom-com “Silver Linings Playbook,” while best original score went to Taiwanese-born Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi.”

Scottish-themed “Brave” won best animated feature.

On the small screen meanwhile, terrorism-themed thriller “Homeland” and the quirky Brooklyn hipster comedy “Girls” took top television honors.

“Homeland,” which wrapped its second season on the Showtime cable channel last month, won for best dramatic series, as well as best actress and best actor for its two stars, Claire Danes and Damian Lewis.

Other TV winners included the HBO television movie “Game Change” and its star Julianne Moore, who took best actress in a dramatic series for her role as renegade Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.