The Coens also won best director and best adapted screenplay, and Javier Bardem, who played cattle-gun-armed killer Anton Chigurh, won best supporting actor. Producer Scott Rudin shared the best picture award with the brothers.

"We're very thankful to all of you out there for letting us continue to play in our corner of the sandbox, so thank you very much," Joel Coen said in accepting the directing award.

The Coens have been known for their arch style and oddball humor in films such as "Fargo," "O Brother, Where Art Thou" and "The Big Lebowski".

Daniel Day-Lewis was more effusive in his thanks after winning best actor for his performance as a misanthropic oilman in "There Will Be Blood."

In a mild surprise, French actress Marion Cotillard won her first Academy Award for her portrayal of singer Edith Piaf in "La Vie en Rose”.

In a highly competitive race, Tilda Swinton nabbed the best supporting actress Oscar for her portrayal as lawyer Karen Crowder in the legal drama "Michael Clayton."

The best animated feature went to "Ratatouille," a computer-animated Pixar film directed and written by Oscar winner Brad Bird ("The Incredibles").

"The Counterfeiters" from Austria took the best foreign-language film. Best original song was awarded to "Falling Slowly" from "Once." It beat out three songs from "Enchanted," the Disney film about an animated princess come to life.