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Beverly Hills, Calif. — The uplifting schizophrenic genius drama "A Beautiful Mind" led winners at Sunday's Golden Globes with four awards, including best drama and best actor for star Russell Crowe.

The hyperkinetic musical "Moulin Rouge" claimed three awards including best musical or comedy, and best musical actress for Nicole Kidman.

Ron Howard, director of "A Beautiful Mind," and wife Cheryl, left, talk with the film's producer, Howard Grazer, and his wife, Gigi Lavengie, as they arrive for the 59th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. The film won for best motion picture drama on Sunday.

If conventional wisdom holds, the Golden Globe recognition will be a significant boost for the two films' Academy Awards potential.

"A Beautiful Mind" is the story of Princeton mathematician John Nash, who won a Nobel prize for economics after years in a battle with schizophrenia. The film also won best screenplay and supporting actress for Jennifer Connelly.

"Moulin Rouge," a tale of forbidden love in circa-1900 Paris, also won best original score. Kidman won for her role as a dying cabaret singer.

"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."

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

"I don't know what a best director is, except that (it is) someone who stands in the same space with the best actors," Altman said. "I feel that they do the work and I get to watch. And nothing is better than that."

Sissy Spacek was named best dramatic actress for the dark drama "In the Bedroom."

Gene Hackman, who couldn't make it to the ceremony, won the comedy actor Globe for his performance as the conniving head of a family of former child prodigies in "The Royal Tenenbaums."

Supporting actor honors went to performers who played supportive spouses in two true-life dramas about ailing geniuses Connelly for portraying Nash's dedicated wife, and Jim Broadbent for playing the husband of novelist Iris Murdoch, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, in "Iris."

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."

The ceremony, hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn., is considered by some to be a barometer for the Academy Awards in March.

It also showed that Hollywood is largely maintaining a toned-down attitude since Sept. 11. Absent were the outrageous antics or remarks that have given the Globes notoriety.

Harrison Ford holds the Cecil B. DeMille award backstage at the 59th annual Golden Globe Awards. Ford was the recipient of the award given for lifetime achievement.

Still, some stars reflected a lightening mood.

Sela Ward, who was nominated as best dramatic actress for the television show "Once and Again," arrived in a bright red midriff-baring dress by Valentino.

"I think it's time for us to celebrate life and live, and it's kind of fun to get dressed tonight, I have to say," she said on the red carpet.

In the television categories, HBO's "Sex and the City" took the best comedy prize and star Sarah Jessica Parker won for comedic actress. The cable network's funeral home drama "Six Feet Under" won best dramatic series.

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

"This is so surreal. This is like a sober acid trip," joked Sheen, a recovering drug abuser.

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."

"I'm really glad I had the first glass of wine I'm kind of regretting the second," Garner joked during her acceptance speech.

HBO's World War II drama "Band of Brothers" won best miniseries, and Tom Hanks, who co-produced the project, accepted the award on behalf of the veterans depicted in the film.

"They're all either at home or in heaven and we do this to bring attention to them," Hanks said.

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.

As the audience gave him a standing ovation, Ford, 59, said, "Sit down, please. I'm too old to wait.

"In anticipation of tonight, I wrote two speeches a long one and a short one. ... I'll give you the short one: Thank you. But it seems there might be enough time for the long one as well, which is: Thank you very much."

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