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(L to R) Presenter Steven Spielberg, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, producers of "The King's Speech," pose with the awards for best picture backstage at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 27, 2011. Image Credit: Reuters

The King's Speech ruled over the 83rd Academy Awards, picking up four awards on Sunday night in Los Angeles, including best picuture, best actor for Colin Firth, best director for Tom Hooper and best screenplay, although it failed to capitalise on its massive 12 nominations.

List of 83rd annual Oscar winners

It tied for number of awards with Christopher Nolan's Inception, which won four in the technical categories.

The film, which tells the story of how British King George VI overcame a crippling stutter to lead the nation during the Second World War, was the favourite to win the awards, and left its closest competitor, The Social Network, struggling to find friends with only three awards out of its eight nominations. That film, which recounts the creation of Facebook, walked away with best adapted screenplay, best score and best editing.

It was a night of few surprises, with favourite Natalie Portman taking the best actress award, and Christian Bale and Melissa Leo taking supporting actor nods. Both were in the boxing true story The Fighter.

The animated film Toy Story 3 took the best animated feature and best song Oscars. Inception, nominated for eight awards took sound editing and mixing, cinematography and best visual effects.

"I have a feeling my career's just peaked,” said Firth as he took to the stage to accept his award from presenter Sandra Bullock. Many looked forward to his expected win, not only because of his brilliant performance in the film, but for the speech the charming orator might give.

"I have to warn you that I'm experiencing stirrings which are threatening to form themselves into dance moves -- joyous as they may be for me, they would be extremely problematic if they reach my legs before I leave the stage," he began, before thanking his filmmaker Tom Hooper, and drawing laughs when, looking at Hollywood bigwig Harvey Weinstein in the audience, expressing his gratitude to the man "who first took me on 20 years ago when i was a mere child sensation." He also thanked Tom Ford, his director in A Single Man, for which he was nominated for the same award last year.

Firth left with "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some impulses I have to attend to backstage."

The show was hosted by Anne Hathaway and best actor nominee James Franco, although their rather stiff and scripted performance is unlikely to win them many fans. In one of the evening's more unusual moments, best supporting actress winner Leo, one of the early award winners, included a swear word in her clearly unscripted acceptance speech.

"When I saw Cate a couple of years ago it looked so f***ing easy.”

He famously foul-mouthed co-star Bale didn't fail to comment on it when he won later. "I've done that profanity before," he joked.

In what was a dull Oscars for speeches, King's Speech director Hooper's stood out. "I know there's been a lot of thanking of mums," he said, "but this is different." He recalled how his mother, who has never seen a play, was to a play called The King's Speech.

"She came home and rang me up and said ‘Tom, I think I've found your next film.' With this tonight i honour you and the moral of the story is, listen to your mother."