Madonna wins a Globe

Madonna was a winner at the recent Golden Globe Awards and she got the trophy for her area of expertise, the theme song. The Material Girl turned feature film director with W/E, a take on the legendary love story of the British King Edward VIII and the American divorcee Wallis Simpson. She composed and performed the theme, which is titled Masterpiece. This was nominated in this year’s Globe Awards for Best Original Song. And Madonna won.

Very British is how one can describe Madonna’s choice as subject for her first full-length picture. She did a short, Filth and Wisdom some years ago. W/E must be due to the influence of ex-husband’s Guy Ritchie’s British culture still rubbing off Madonna even after they have ended their marriage. Her is of course predominantly British. James D’Arcy as Edward, Duke of Windsor and Andrea Riseborough as Wallis, the Duchess. Madonna picked an Australian actress for the other female lead, Abbie Cornish as Wally Winthrop.

Wally is a young housewife who is fascinated by the love story of the Windsors. Remember, he abdicated the throne because he would be unable to rule England without the “love and support of the woman he loves.” Marrying a commoner and an American divorcee at that was unheard of in those days. It is through the eyes of Wally, while attending an auction of the Duchess’ belongings that the story that Madonna co-wrote with friend Alek Keshishian, unfolds.

Critical buzz is good. W/E is already making the rounds of film festivals, which Madonna, who at 53 still looks stunning, religiously attends. The movie also got a nod from the Hollywood Foreign Press for Best Motion Picture Score. Madonna did not get this. It went to the Artist. But it looks like her film directing career is off to a good start. W/E might also land a nomination or two at the upcoming Academy Awards.

Although the public knows her better for her trendy dance recording, Madonna is very good with ballads. Take A Bow is one of my favorites. She is also good with movie theme songs. Remember Do You Remember from With Honors and This Used To Be My Playground from A League Of Their Own. You Must Love Me, a new composition by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice which Madonna performed in the musical Evita won the Oscar for Best Song in 1997. The Globes also named her Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for that one. Who knows? If her luck holds out, she might be able to bring home one of those Golden statuettes.

The Globes ushered in a good year for pop music in this year’s awards season. All of the nominees are big names in the hit charts. Aside from Madonna, also nominated were Elton John for Hello, Hello from the animated love story Gnomeo & Juliet; Chris Cornell for The Keeper from Machine Gun Preacher; Brian Byrne for Lay Your Head Down from Albert Nobbs, which is performed by Glenn Close in the movie; and Mary J. Blige for The Living Proof from The Help. Who knows? Madonna’s Masterpiece might be competing with this very same batch at the Academy Awards.

No matter what happens though, Madonna is definitely on her way to another important phase in her music career. Masterpiece is said to be one of the cuts in her new CD which is set for release within the next few weeks. This will be her 12th studio album and her first under a new contract with Jimmy Iovine’s Interscope Records. No figures have been released regarding the deal but this could run into millions. Aside from being an artist, Madonna is also an astute businesswoman. Her last contract with Live Nation cost an unprecedented $120M.

So expect Madonna’s return to the hit charts next year. Hopefully, we will also get to see W/E on the big screen next year. The still pictures look beautiful and knowing her reputation as a perfectionist, I do not think she used anything below her usual standards in the movie. But you know how it is with “festival films” that critics like and that get nominated for awards, they only get limited theatrical release. I hope we will not have to watch W/E only on video and even pirated at that.