Rogue Trader (1999)

The story of Nick Leeson, an ambitious investment broker who singlehandedly bankrupted one of the oldest and most important banks in Britain.

Director:

James Dearden

Writers:

James Dearden, Nick Leeson (autobiography),

Stars:

Ewan McGregor, Anna Friel, Yves Beneyton

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ewan McGregor	...	Nick Leeson
Anna Friel	...	Lisa Leeson
Yves Beneyton	...	Pierre Beaumarchais
Betsy Brantley	...	Brenda Granger
Caroline Langrishe	...	Ash Lewis
Nigel Lindsay	...	Ron Baker
Tim McInnerny	...	Tony Hawes
Irene Ng	...	Bonnie Lee
Lee Ross	...	Danny Argyropoulos
Simon Shepherd	...	Peter Norris
John Standing	...	Peter Baring
Pip Torrens	...	Simon Jones
Tom Wu	...	George Seow
Daniel York	...	Henry Tan
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Danny Argyropoulos	...	Trader #1

Storyline

Ambitious, wide-boy Nick Leeson is determined to rise in the world and be more than a simple bank clerk. When his employers, Barings Bank, offer him the opportunity to go to Jakarta to sort out a problem that nobody else wants, he seizes the opportunity with both hands. In Jakarta he meets and marries Lisa and together they go to Singapore when the bank offers him the job of setting up their future options trading operation. To save money the bank allows Nick to operate both the floor trading and the back office facilities and force him to employ cheap, unskilled staff. His first year of trading is a big success and he makes large profits for the bank even though he has illegally broken trading rules and secretly covered up losses. Given more freedom, even more money and continuing unchecked, Nick starts to make losses and again attempts to trade out of them but this time he comes unstuck as his illegal trading generates even bigger losses. After the death of his unborn child Nick ...

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Plot Keywords:

bank | money | financial disaster | future | barings bank | 

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Taglines:

He'll risk everything to beat the system!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | History | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 June 1999 (UK)

Also Known As:

A Fraude

Filming Locations:

Changi Prison, Singapore

Box Office

Budget:

$12,800,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£269,871 (UK) (25 June 1999)

Gross:

£969,565 (UK) (30 July 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Granada Film Productions, Newmarket Capital Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Nick and George are driving in the Porsche, their seat belts are on/off between shots.

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Quotes

Peter Norris: Now, we've had a lot of stick over funding. Brenda Granger tells me we're borrowing all over Japan to get the funds to you. People are beginning to talk, Nick.
Nick Leeson: I understand. I understand completely.
Peter Norris: Excellent. Good man.
[he goes back to chat with his colleagues]
Nick Leeson: [voiceover] And that was it. That was apparently all he had to say on the subject of my enormous exposure that was causing so many ulcers throughout the Barings empire.

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Connections

Featured in De wereld draait door: Episode #4.51 (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Rock the Casbah"
Written by Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Nicky Headon
Performed by The Clash

User Reviews

Interesting story!

I found Rogue Trader to be a highly entertaining point of view regarding the Barings bank disaster of the mid 90's, from Nick Leeson himself. I once said, "I'm not crazy to see movies that I know the ending". However, I had to start eating my words after TITANIC. Now, I can add this to the list. Barings was the financial equivalent of the "unsinkable ship" and just like TITANIC, I was on the edge of my seat when the unthinkable was finally realized. A must see, minus heroes.