Iron Lady success for Meryl but silent movie shows true mettle

And last night Meryl Streep looked incredible once more as she celebrated winning a Bafta award for her performance as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.

Streep was named Leading Actress on a night when makers of a French silent movie, The Artist, had most to cheer after picking up seven gongs.

The Artist won Best Film, as well as the Director award for Michel Hazanavicius and the Leading Actor prize for Jean Dujardin.

It also won awards for Original Music, Cinematography, Costume Design and Original Screenplay.

When collecting the Original Screenplay prize, Hazanavicius said: “I’m very surprised because so many people thought there was no script because there was no dialogue, so English people are very clever. Congratulations to you.”

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, a Cold War spy thriller, won in two categories – Outstanding British Film and Adapted Screenplay.

Christopher Plummer became the oldest Bafta winner when he was named Best Supporting Actor for his role in Beginners.

The 82-year-old, who was not at the ceremony, was critically acclaimed for his portrayal of a widower who comes out as gay to his son after the death of his wife.

Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe presented the Supporting Actress award to Octavia Spencer for The Help, which is set against the rise of the civil rights movement in the United States Deep South.

Spencer said the win was a surprise and added: “It has been said The Help is an American movie about American problems and American history and I am so grateful to you for seeing past that”.

The Artist had led the nominations with 12.