Top Five Golden Globes Speeches
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 12:30PM Margaret with more on Sunday's Golden Globes...
Awards show speeches are weird and wonderful things. They’re awkward and rushed, they hold the weight of hundreds of peoples’ expectations, and they are bound to disappoint or offend somebody no matter what they contain.
Since the Golden Globes are the first big ceremony of awards season (People's Choice A-whats? Haven't heard of 'em), the winners have their work cut out for them to be memorable and charming and humble enough to make their new statuette the first of many.
Below we have a roundup of my picks for best movie-category speeches of the night, plus some speculation about whether they might influence the Oscar race. (For wins, not nominations, since the voting is closed and they're now set in stone.)
Honorable mention goes to Just-Keep-Simmons for his amusingly gruff speech ("I think I only have 45 seconds, so shut up").
5. Wes Anderson – Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy (Grand Budapest Hotel)
Oh, Wes Anderson. Never change! I mean, look at him. Look how uncomfortable he is, how his eyes are locked to his notes. Look at that slightly crooked bowtie. So many ‘um’s and ‘uh’s. He does not want to be the center of attention. If we needed any proof that he’s not the awards-campaigning type, we have it now. It’s lovely to see a Grand Budapest Hotel win, and that could mean that it's got a more solid shot at an Best Picture Oscar nomination than most of us dare hope... but then again, the HFPA often marches to the beat of their own drummer.
4. Julianne Moore – Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama (Still Alice)
Remember when we never got to watch Julianne win anything? Judging by her adorably delighted reaction, the thrill is a fresh one. She shares a lovely dictum from her mother (“a happy person is someone who has work and love”) and gets choked up thanking her family. On the cynical side, the speech hit all the right marks. People love their frontrunners (especially women—boo) to be humble and surprised and emotional when they win. A good move towards Oscar.
3. Michael Keaton - Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy (Birdman)
Sure, it’s a little long (more obvious since it came near the end of the late-running program), but he’s telling a story instead of listing off names, and in the dynastic industry that is Hollywood it’s refreshing to hear from people who were born far from the business. Also: he produced actual tears as he choked out a touching tribute to his son (“Two things I wasn’t gonna do—cry, and give air quotes—damn”), and we all know Oscar loves a good manful cry. This may have pushed him into winner territory.
2. Patricia Arquette - Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (Boyhood)
The win was an expected one, but it was no less enjoyable for that. She’s concentrating so hard on getting all her written words out (“Sorry I’m the only nerd with a piece of paper”), but you can just see the immense feeling threatening to bubble out as she gives sweet, genuine thanks to her movie family. It’s clear that the role and the film mean very, very much to her. No major shakeups from this speech; it seems pretty clear she’s headed straight to the Dolby podium.
1. Common and John Legend - Best Original Song in a Motion Picture (Selma)
Potent, stirring, beautifully put. What every awards speech should be if it possibly can. Common did almost all of the talking, more about Selma itself than the winning song, and put the focus back where it should be: “Selma has awakened my humanity… Selma is now.” If there’s any justice (there isn’t), this would be making the rounds among all the people crying “historical inaccuracy!!” and giving them something else to think about. Good for their awards chances as songwriters, good for the film as a whole. Bonus points for making Oprah cry.
What were your favorite speeches of the night? Who didn't win that you'd like to hear a speech from soon?
Reader Comments (31)
I think my favorite speeches of the night were Gina Rodriguez and Wes Anderson's. I would have liked to see Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, and Emily Blunt, Jake Gyllenhaal, Colin Hanks and Liev Schreiber give speeches since I don't think I've seen these guys win on TV before.
I can't help but to have wanted a Jacqueline Bissett moment from last year :)
Can't shake the feeling that Keaton's speech was like the ultimate post-production meta finale of birdman. I mean the movie makes fun of actors handing each other awards and playing up their sad (possibly fictional) childhoods!! And then stressing the importance of his relationship with his child. I know this just makes me cynical but it was impossible for me to sit through the whe (long) speech and not think... "Really?!"
I was disappointed by all the speeches, if I had to choose one, it'd be Clooneys.
Missing Cate Blanchetts speeches from last year despite watching them almost daily.
There were some wet eyes in my house when Patricia Arquette gave her speech for 'Boyhood.' She's such a thoughtful, intelligent, down-to-earth presence, and it's wonderful to see her get recognized. I hope she does get the Oscar--what a deserved win that would be.
I liked Billly Bob Thornton and Matt Bomer. Common was the winner for me though.
Helen Mirren always gives good speech and I would have liked to have heard Blunt or Viola.
I think we would have had our Bissett moment if Cumberbatch had won. He seemed to be feeling no pain.
I love Patricia Arquette, but it would've been nice to see this award go to Knightley or Stone. She's going to win anyway so it's worth spreading the love where it doesn't matter.
Also interesting to realize this is Keira Knightley's most acclaimed performance ever, awards-wise. It's not much by comparison to some of her other work, but that's a credit to what a rich filmography she's assembled.
I was happy and shocked just to see Wes show up! I've been a fan since Rushmore and don't think I've ever seen him at an awards show before. He was adorable.
I liked that Common and Richard Linklater were willing to share the spotlight. That so rarely happens at awards shows.
Almost no one has mentioned Joanne Froggatt's because everyone is so over Downton Abbey, but it was classy that she included hearing from rape victims due to the subject matter/story line for which she was probably nominated. And I always like it when winners mention "the crew"--those hardworking folks who make the magic happen behinds the scenes and almost never get the credit they deserve.
Margaret, thank you for this--you stated each case beautifully. My favorite was Keaton's highly emotional acceptance. This has to be a rarity--a veteran actor who seems visibly and genuinely grateful for an award. I was a puddle on the floor. He was happy, thankful, real. My second was Common's beautiful tribute to Selma and what is means for us now and in the future.
I'm ecstatic to believe that Keaton has pretty much got this!
As far as affecting the race goes, Common and John Legend's speech is the most significant, I would say. I had previously pencilled in "Lost Stars" from Begin Again as a bit of a default winner in the Original Song category, there being not many notable alternatives, but having both seen Selma recently and seen the speech at the HFPA event, I think "Glory" is now a likely winner. Though it's a quasi-end credits song, it has a decent montage accompanying it, and it's a good place for the voters to cast a ballot for an important film that at this juncture does not seem in a position to win anything else. And Common's speech squarely established the film, and the artists speaking, as being Important.
This was a good event for serious speeches, actually, between Common, Gina Rodriguez, Joanne Froggatt, the people associated with Transparent, etc.
Michael Keaton and Patricia Arquette hands down best speeches. Authentic and heartfelt.
Did anyone else notice that Inarritu called Andrea Riseborough "Andrea Reisenbauer" in his speech?
Joanne Froggatt and Gina Rodriguez added more heft to their wins with speeches that were truly well thought out, especially impressive considering both upset the competition.
My favorite was Julianne's. Short, sweet, thank you bye.
I thought Maggie Gyllenhaal's was wonderful too.
Well, Tina Fey called Alejandro 'Allehan-yo" in her opening monologue so I suppose he's entitled to mistake someone else's name.
I thought Keaton's speech was terrible. Y'know how Riggan thinks the world cares more about his story and his life and his truth than anyone actually does? I can't with Birdman's total lack of irony about male actualization fantasies. It's like we're watching its final act unfold right now.
Wes Anderson was thoroughly adorable and awkward. His voice shaking from nerves as he read the HFPA members names = swoon.
Common was giving me LIFE with that poetry slam of an acceptance speech. Also gotta admit, I kinda teared up at Keaton's speech when he got to his son - so genuinely heartfelt and beautiful to see (and hear).
Best of the night though was EASILY Maggie Gyllenhaal's. You GO, girl!
MATT BOMBER!
Jill Soloway's speech for Transparent, followed shortly by Jeffrey Tambor's, were the truly groundbreaking moments of the night.
Hayden W., I agree with you about Keaton's speech. When you watch videos of acceptance speeches from the 1980s and earlier, it's amazing how much shorter and less dramatic they tended to be. People thanked those involved with the film and moved on. Now, it seems like most people are trying to be as profound as possible, which is why I enjoyed Billy Bob Thornton's simple, succinct "Thank you."
I adored nearly all the TV speeches- would have been impossible to do a Top 5 without narrowing down to movies only. So many powerful moments, and TEARS
Definitely Gina Rodriguez for me. I barely know her and i've never seen an episode of Jane The Virgin but i had to wipe a tear away from my eye when she said her very moving little speech. I was surprised she won so i could imagine that it was probably 100x more of a surprise for her.
Well, this list confirms that I disliked what everyone liked most. I thought Arquette's inattention to the audience and Keaton's ramblings might have cost them voters, and since they both knew they would be winning, why weren't they more polished? My favorites were (1) Clooney, (2) Common, and (3) Gyllenhaal, which even Frances McDormand seemed to find acceptable. Watching Anderson, who is adorable, it crossed my mind that surrounding himself with giant casts (or lists of HFPA members) is his method of keeping the spotlight off of himself.
Tambor.
Jan -- that's fun. I bet her co-stars start teasing her with that.
Have to agree with Dusty- those were my top 3 as well.
Joanna Frogatt because her win was surprising. And Rodriguez and Anderson.
I want Clive Owen to win again. I remember when he won a Globe for Closer and it was so hot.
Kevin Spacey reminded me of things I liked about him that I had forgotten. I like that he's a link between the past and the present, that he sees the broader view, and thinks that an artist, at whatever level of achievement, is always trying to do just a little better.
No wonder he made such a good American export to London, as artistic director of the Old Vic.
About half of the speeches were really great and heartfelt and emotionally truthful. There wasn't anything uproariously funny like that year when Hugh Laurie, Steve Carell, Geena Davis, Sandra Oh won or any upset wins as amazingly awesome as when MLP took down all of the Desperate Housewives during her freshman year of Weeds but they were still good.
I don't know what Billy Bob could've said to self-censor. He strikes me as a bit more conservative than most in Hollywood but it's not as if he was about to go full-force on Unbroken or anything. People kinda gave Ruth Wilson shit for her seemingly first-world problems and awkward speech but she was just talking about how much better of a time she was having.