Golden Globes: American Hustle wins three awards

Crime caper American Hustle has won three awards at the Golden Globes, including best film comedy or musical.

Its female stars Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence also picked up best actress and supporting actress prizes for their roles in the 1970s-set movie.

Loosely based on a real-life FBI sting operation, it tells of con men enlisted to bring down a corrupt politician.

Steve McQueen's historical tale 12 Years a Slave received the top honour of the night, winning best film drama.

It was the only award the movie was given, after going into the evening with seven nominations.

McQueen and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o had all received nods but came away from Sunday's event empty-handed.

Collecting the award, McQueen said he was "a little bit in shock" and thanked his wife for finding the book by Solomon Northup, on which the film was based.

The other film awards were spread around a number of movies.

Matthew McConaughey was named best actor in a drama for his role as Aids patient Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club.

The actor said the award was "unexpected, but graciously accepted".

His co-star Jared Leto won the best supporting actor prize for his depiction of a transgender woman.

Cate Blanchett collected the best actress in a drama award for her part as a disgraced socialite in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine.

Leonardo DiCaprio, meanwhile, won best actor in a comedy or musical for The Wolf of Wall Street.

DiCaprio, who won his second Golden Globe from nine nominations, thanked director Martin Scorsese for his mentorship and for "allowing me to stalk you to make this movie".

Alfonso Cuaron was named best director for Gravity - the only award the space movie picked up on the night.

The Mexican beat McQueen, Captain Phillips director Paul Greengrass, Nebraska's Alexander Payne and American Hustle's David O Russell to the director prize.

The screenplay award went to Spike Jonze for Her, a romance about an office worker who falls in love with a computer-generated voice.

Italian film The Great Beauty won the title of best foreign language film, while Disney's Frozen took home the best animated feature award.

Robert Redford's film All is Lost won the best original score prize, while Irish band U2 won best original song for Ordinary Love, as featured in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

British band Coldplay and US country star Taylor Swift had also been in the running for their songs from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Paul Potts film One Chance respectively.

U2 said working on the film completed a decades-long journey with Nelson Mandela that began with them playing an anti-apartheid concert some 35 years ago.

"This man turned our life upside down, right side up,'' said frontman Bono. "A man who refused to hate not because he didn't have rage or anger or those things, but that he thought love would do a better job."

As the first major ceremony of the awards season, the winners are a likely indication of who will be shortlisted when the Oscar nominations are announced later this week.

The TV categories featured a number of double award winners.

Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra was named best TV movie/mini-series, with Michael Douglas beating co-star Matt Damon to the best actor in a TV movie, series or mini-series prize.

Although the film was released in cinemas around the world, it was only shown on cable channel HBO in the US.

"The only reason you're not here is I had more sequins," Douglas told Damon as he collected his award.

Breaking Bad also came away with two awards - best drama series and best actor in a drama for its star Bryan Cranston.

It was the first Golden Globe for Cranston, having been nominated for the same award every year since 2011. He was also nominated in 2003 for his role in TV comedy Malcolm in the Middle.

He called the award "a lovely way to say goodbye" after the series ended after five years in September.

Police caper Brooklyn Nine-Nine also collected two prizes - best comedy or musical TV series, and best actor in a comedy for Andy Samberg.

Ceremony co-host Amy Poehler won best actress in a TV comedy or musical for her role in Parks and Recreation, while House of Cards star Robin Wright was named best actress in a drama series.

Elisabeth Moss won best actress in a TV movie or mini-series for BBC drama Top of the Lake, while veteran actor Jon Voight collected best supporting actor in a TV movie, series or mini-series for Ray Donovan.

It was a generally disappointing night for British talents, most of whom came away empty handed.

Jacqueline Bisset was the only Briton to win an award - the prize for best supporting actress in a TV series, mini-series or TV movie - for her part in BBC drama Dancing on the Edge.

Other British stars who missed out included Dames Helen Mirren and Judi Dench, Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Michael Sheen, Idris Elba and Christian Bale.

Poehler and 30 Rock star Tina Fey hosted the ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel for the second year running, earning big laughs with jokes about George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Meryl Streep.