The Artist sweeps the Oscars as Meryl Streep wins third trophy

Meryl Streep won her third Oscar last night for her role as Margaret Thatcher in 'The Iron Lady.'

The 62-year-old won as best actress at the star-studded 84th Academy Awards ceremony dominated by a silent movie that turned back time to win three of the night's top awards.

The black-and-white film with just two words of dialogue - which cost only about (pounds) 10 million to make - won Oscars for best picture, best actor Jean Dujardin and best director Michel Hazanavicius.

'The Artist' was the first silent film to nab best picture honours since 1929, when 'Wings' took the top prize.

It had been three decades since Streep last took home an Oscar for 'Sophie's Choice.' She also won best supporting actress for the 1979 movie, 'Kramer vs Kramer.'

Her uncanny performance as the former prime minister won Streep her 17th nomination, the most times any performer has been nominated by the Academy.

Dressed in a gold gown, she joked about how many times she's been up for acting's highest honours after getting a standing ovation.

'When they called my name, I had this feeling I could hear half of America going, 'Oh no...her again,' Streep said.

Streep played the British prime minister as a senile retiree, as well as a hectoring, dominant figure who instilled fear and respect in her own cabinet. At the film's pinnacle, Streep as Thatcher is the backbone of Britain's mission to reclaim the Falkland Islands after the 1982 Argentinian invasion.

She thanked her fans 'for this inexplicable wonderful career' and paid special tribute to her husband, sculptor Don Gummer.

Streep said backstage that when she first saw herself in old-age makeup, she thought she looked like her father. 'Maybe my dad looked like Margaret Thatcher,' she added.

Her third win put her in a category with other three-time Oscar winners Jack Nicholson, Walter Brennan and Ingrid Bergman. Only Katharine Hepburn with four wins had more.

British prosthetic artist Mark Coulier who spent three hours each day transforming Streep into an older Dame Margaret shared the Oscar with hair designer J. Roy Helland who has worked with the actress for over thirty years.. The film was backed by Britain's Film4 production company.

With additional awards for best score and best costume design, the success of 'The Artist' made it a night to celebrate for French cinema.

Dujardin, the French star who beat all American favourites George Clooney and Brad Pitt, won for playing a famous silent film star whose career hits the skids when talkies take over.

In some British cinemas, customers demanded their money back after complaining there was no dialogue.

The jubilant actor bounded to the stage with an ear-to-ear grin. 'I love your country,' he said and repeated the only two words he said in the film - 'thank' and 'you.'

But the ceremony also made history as 82-year-old Christopher Plummer became the oldest ever Oscar winner for his supporting actor role as an older man who comes out as gay in 'Beginners.'

Thanking his co-star, Ewan McGregor, he quipped: 'When I first emerged from my mother's womb, I was already rehearsing my academy speech.'

Octavia Spencer was the first big winner as best supporting actress for her role as sharp-tongued housemaid Minny Jackson in 'The Help,' about the strained relationships between black maids and their white employers in America's deep south.

But comedian Billy Crystal, hosting his ninth Oscars, hit a sour note after Spencer's heartfelt, tearful speech by saying her performance made him want to hug the first black woman he found which 'from Beverly Hills is a 45-minute drive.'

There was more controversy on the red carpet outside the Hollywood & Highland Centre where Sasha Baron Cohen pulled off another audacious publicity coup to promote his new film, 'The Dictator.'

After strolling around dressed up as General Aladeen, his character in the film, flanked by two beautiful military uniform-clad assistants, he tipped an urn containing what he claimed to be the 'ashes of Kim Jong Il' over American interviewer Ryan Seacrest and was bundled away by security staff.

The other big winner was director Martin Scorsese's 3-D film 'Hugo', which collected awards for best cinematography, art direction, sound and visual effects.

Woody Allen was honoured for best original screenplay for 'Midnight in Paris,' about a writer who goes back in time to meet Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso. Owen Wilson played the lead role.