Bardem plays a professional hitman in No Country For Old Men

Star Javier Bardem was named best supporting actor, while Joel and Ethan Coen shared the best director trophy.

Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood won a prize for the soundtrack to Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood, and its star, Daniel Day Lewis, won best actor.

But actor Sean Penn won nothing despite seven nominations for Into The Wild.

Awards came in pairs for two other films, teenage pregnancy drama Juno, and musical comedy Hairspray.

The cast of Hairspray, based on the Hollywood stage show, was named best acting ensemble and its breakout star, Nikki Blonsky, won best young actress.

The 19-year-old thanked "my mommy who's sitting here crying and my other mommy who's at home, John Travolta". Travolta donned drag to play Edna Turnblad in the film.

Daniel Day Lewis was named best actor for There Will Be Blood

Juno collected trophies for best comedy and for first-time screenwriter Diablo Cody.

Several stars chose not to attend the ceremony - possibly as an act of solidarity with striking Hollywood writers.

Best actress winner Julie Christie was among the absentees, as were the Coen Brothers.

Bardem accepted the siblings' award, saying: "I'm the third brother, the Spanish one."

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who won best song for their work in Once, also skipped the ceremony.

Other winners included rodent-based cooking comedy Ratatouille, which was named best animation, and Disney's self-parody Enchanted, which received the best family film prize.

George Clooney presented Don Cheadle with an humanitarian award

George Clooney, a nominee for political drama Michael Clayton, presented the inaugural Joel Siegel Award to Don Cheadle for his humanitarian work.

Before introducing his friend, Clooney noted the impact of the Hollywood writers' strike on the city.

"This is a one-industry town and when a strike happens it's not just writers or actors, it's restaurants and hotels and agencies," he said.

"Our hope is that all of the players involved will lock themselves in a room and not come out until they finish."

Cheadle also acknowledged the strike, saying it kept him from writing an acceptance speech.

The dispute has jeopardised Hollywood's annual awards season, with The Golden Globes the highest-profile casualty.

It has been announced the ceremony will be scrapped in favour of a news conference.