Globes’ box-office bent

For all the pontificating in some quarters that the Golden Globes nominations this year snubbed the most commercially successful movies in favor of titles of more limited interest, the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. has picked winners in the dramatic category that tended toward the commercial (“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” “Titanic,” “Gladiator,” “Saving Private Ryan”) or the artfully commercial (“American Beauty,” “The Aviator”) more often than the strictly arty (“The Hours,” “Sense and Sensibility”) but the HFPA’s take on comedy is decidedly quirky (“Sideways,” “Lost in Translation”) and even when the films are commercial they tend to be sophisticated (“Shakespeare in Love,” “As Good as It Gets,” “Chicago”). A look at the past 10 years of Globes winners in each of the best picture categories.

Drama

Year released/Domestic gross (in millions)

“Aviator” (‘04) / $102.6

“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (‘03) / $377.0

“The Hours” (‘02) / $41.7

“A Beautiful Mind” (‘01) / $170.7

“Gladiator” (‘00) / $187.7

“American Beauty” (‘99) / $130.0

“Saving Private Ryan” (‘98) / $216.2

“Titanic” (‘97) / $600.8

“The English Patient” (‘96) / $78.7

“Sense and Sensibility” (‘95) / $43.2

Musical or Comedy

Year released/Domestic gross (in millions)

“Sideways” (‘04) / $71.6

“Lost in Translation” (‘03) / $44.6

“Chicago” (‘02) / $170.7

“Moulin Rouge!” (‘01) / $57.4

“Almost Famous” (‘00) / $32.5

“Toy Story 2” (‘99) / $245.9

“Shakespeare in Love” (‘98) / $100.3

“As Good as It Gets” (‘97) / $148.5

“Evita” (‘96) / $50.0

“Babe” (‘95) / $63.7

Source: Times research, Nielsen EDI Inc.Los Angeles