'The Artist', Silent, Black-and-White Film, Rules Oscar Awards

Actors Jean Dujardin, left, and Berenice Bejo perform in "The Artist" at an undisclosed location on Nov. 11, 2010. The film is by Michel Hazanavicius. Source: The Weinstein Company via Bloomberg

The silent, black-and-white movie "The Artist" took top honors at the Academy Awards on Sunday night, garnering five Oscars for best picture, best directing, best costume design, best original music score and best actor.

Jean Dujardin, who spoke just two words in "The Artist," was jubilant as he accepted his best actor Oscar. "I love your country," the French actor said.

Michel Hazanavicius beat out Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen to win his best directing Academy Award.

"I am the happiest director in the world right now," Hazanavicius said as he accepted.

Meryl Streep's channeling of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady" earned the best actress Oscar for her. It was her third Academy Award after 17 nominations.

"When they called my name, I had this feeling I could hear half of America going 'Oh no, why her again? Well, whatever,'" Streep joked in her acceptance.

"The Iron Lady" was also rewarded with a best make up Oscar for the work done to convince the audience that Streep was Thatcher.

Christopher Plummer became the oldest actor to win an Academy Award when he was presented the best supporting actor Oscar for his role as an aging gay man in "Beginners."

"You're only two years older than me, darling," the 82-year-old Plummer said as he looked at his Oscar trophy. "Where have you been all my life?" He also won the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award in earlier competitions.

Backstage, Plummer called his Oscar "sort of a renewal."

"It has recharged me," Plummer said. "I hope I can do it for another 10 years at least. I'm going to drop dead on the stage or on a set. we don't retire."

Octavia Spencer cried as she accepted the best supporting actress Oscar for her portrayal of a Mississippi maid in the civil-rights-era movie "The Help."

"I'm sorry, I'm freaking out," Spencer said as the allotted time for her acceptance speech ended.

Martin Scorsese's 3-D film "Hugo," which was up for awards in 11 categories, won five Oscars, including for best cinematography, best art direction, best sounding edit, best sound mixing and best visual effects.

Woody Allen won the best original screenplay Oscar for his film about a time-traveling American writer, "Midnight in Paris."

"The Descendants," a family drama starring George Clooney, won for best adapted screenplay.

The Oscar for best foreign language film was awarded to Iran's "A Separation."

"At this time, many Iranians all over the world are watching us and I imagine them to be very happy," director Asghar Farhadi said as he accepted.

The animated feature film Oscar went to "Rango," the story of a lizard stranded in the Mojave Desert.

The best documentary feature Oscar was awarded to "Undefeated," the story of a high school football team that reversed its losing tradition.

The Oscar for best film editing went to Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, the editors of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."

"Man or Muppets," a song written for "The Muppets," won the best original movie song Oscar.

"Saving Face," the story of a British-Pakistani plastic surgeon helps restore the faces of women scarred by acid attacks, won the best documentary short Oscar.

The short live action film Oscar was given to "The Shore," which is about the reunion of two boyhood friends in Northern Ireland.

"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," which creates a world where books are alive, won the best animated short Oscar.

The Oscar ceremony was hosted for the ninth time by Billy Crystal.

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