It was a night of dream results for the British contingent at the Golden Globes in Los Angeles, and the queen for the evening was Kate Winslet who accepted the gong for Best Supporting Actress with elegance and composure, but was left so breathless and dizzy when she also won Best Actress (Drama) that she forgot the name of fellow nominee Angelina Jolie.

Winslet’s roles in The Reader and Revolutionary Road showcase her incredible versatility as an actress — she’s equally affecting as an enigmatic former Nazi as she is as a frustrated 1950 suburban housewife. The five-time Oscar nominee's long cherished dream of winning the Academy Award is a couple of steps closer after tonight.

Another British triumph was Sally Hawkins who won Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) for her irrepressible turn in Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky.

But the fairytale success story was Slumdog Millionaire. The underdog movie, with no stars and a budget that amounts to a fraction of that of the other nominees, was a hugely popular success — and deservedly so. Danny Boyle’s thrilling romantic drama hit the jackpot with a total of four awards, including Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Film.

The tall tale of Jamal (played by London teenaged Dev Patel), an orphan from one of Mumbai’s sprawling slums, who hits the jackpot on India’s version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, Slumdog is truly a film for our troubled times. While it doesn’t shy from the harrowing details of Jamal’s childhood experiences, the movie is suffused with a joyous romanticism and an unashamedly naïve optimism. It’s escapism with one foot on the ground, a life and love-affirming story that crackles with life. It is a feel-good picture that doesn’t patronise its audience.

The other popular winner of the night was comeback kid Mickey Rourke who won the Best Actor prize for his raw performance as a fading 1980s battler in The Wrestler. The grizzled actor thanked everyone, including his dogs, but reserved a special mention for the young agent who persuaded him to take another shot at a career that he had more or less given up on. The industry loves a self-deprecating reformed hell-raiser back from the brink, so Rourke must now factor as a contender for the Oscar next month.

Slumdog Millionaire’s chances are less certain. While the Globes are generally seen as indicators of likely Oscar success, we have to go back five years for the last time a Golden Globe Best Picture winner also claimed the Academy Award.

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