NEW YORK - The National Society of Film Critics has named "There Will Be Blood," a gritty tale about a turn-of-the-century oil man infected with greed, the best picture of 2007.
The film topped Julian Schnabel's "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" and Joel and Ethan Coen's harrowing saga, "No Country for Old Men."
In "There Will Be Blood" - partly based on Upton Sinclair's 1920s novel "Oil!" - Daniel Day-Lewis plays a riveting and dynamic Daniel Plainview who loses his morals and mind in his Ahabesque quest for black gold.
The movie was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, who was also tapped as best director, beating out Schnabel and the Coen brothers.
Acting honors went to Day-Lewis and Julie Christie for "Away from Her."
Best supporting actor honors went to Casey Affleck for "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and Cate Blanchett who was one of several actors playing Bob Dylan in "I'm Not There."
"No End in Sight," made by Charles Ferguson, was chosen the best documentary of the year. The movie depicted the costly mistakes made shortly after President Bush invaded Iraq, helping fuel a deadly insurgency.
The society also honored "There Will Be Blood" for cinematography, and Tamara Jenkins won best screenplay for "The Savages," a sibling comic drama.
The 42d annual awards were given out Saturday by the National Society of Film Critics, an association of 61 movie critics from across the country.
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