Every Movie to Win Best Drama at the Golden Globes Since 1944

“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” was the third and final entry of the lavishly produced fantasy adventure trilogy based on the works of novelist J.R.R. Tolkien. It swept all four Golden Globes it was nominated for, including Best Director – Motion Picture for Peter Jackson, and replicated the feat at the Oscars, equaling Academy Award-winning history by capturing 11 statuettes.

Leonardo DiCaprio stars as the eccentric visionary movie director and aviator Howard Hughes. The film covers the period from the 1920s through the 1940s. “The Aviator” won three Golden Globes, including one for DiCaprio, the first of his three Globe wins. The Martin Scorsese-directed biopic won five Academy Awards.

Four Golden Globes went to Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain,” a film about two cowboys who keep their homosexual relationship a secret. Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana won the Globe and the Oscar for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture. Gustavo Santaolalla and Bernie Taupin took the Globe for Best Original Song – Motion Picture, and Santaolalla won the Academy Award for Original Score. Director Ang Lee won both the Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Director.

“Babel” is a psychological drama directed by acclaimed Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu that weaves together four interrelated stories involving people from four countries linked by anguish and tragedy. Composer Gustavo Santaolalla, who won the Golden Globe and Oscar the year before for “Brokeback Mountain,” was nominated for a Globe and won the film’s lone Academy Award for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score.

In 1930s England, a 13-year-old aspiring writer changes the lives of several people after she accuses her older sister’s lover of a crime that he didn’t commit. Composer Dario Marianelli won a Golden Globe and an Oscar for Best Original Score.

“Slumdog Millionaire,” the story of a Mumbai teen accused of cheating on the Indian version of the television show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” dominated the entertainment awards in 2009. English-born Danny Boyle took home one of four Golden Globes the film won, for Best Director – Motion Picture, and would also take the Best Director Oscar, one of eight won by the movie. Simon Beaufoy won the Globe and the Academy Award for Best Screenplay.

James Cameron’s socially conscious epic was a blockbuster and currently ranks as the third highest grossing film of all time. Cameron won one of his two Golden Globes for Best Director – Motion Picture. “Avatar” would go on to capture three Academy Awards.

“The Social Network,” the story of how Facebook was founded, took home four Golden Globes, honoring Aaron Sorkin for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture, Nine Inch Nails members Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for Best Original Score – Motion Picture, and David Fincher for Best Director.

George Clooney won his third Golden Globe as a landowner in Hawaii facing a family crisis after an accident leaves his wife in a coma. The film would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay.

“Argo,” a somewhat fictionalized comedy/drama of how Americans escaped Iran during the hostage crisis after the 1979 revolution, defeated a strong field to win the Golden Globe Best Motion Picture – Drama. Ben Affleck, who produced, directed, and starred in the film, won the Golden Globe for Best Director – Motion Picture.