Historical fiction set against the backdrop of Hong Kong in its early years of British rule.
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Title: Tai-Pan (1986)
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2 nominations.
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Cast
| Credited cast: | |||
| Bryan Brown | ... | Dirk Struan | |
| Joan Chen | ... | May-May | |
| John Stanton | ... | Tyler Brock | |
| Tim Guinee | ... | Culum Struan | |
 |
Bill Leadbitter | ... | Gorth Brock |
| Russell Wong | ... | Gordon Chen | |
|
|
Katy Behean | ... | Mary Sinclair |
| Kyra Sedgwick | ... | Tess Brock | |
| Janine Turner | ... | Shevaun Tillman | |
| Norman Rodway | ... | Aristotle Quance | |
| John Bennett | ... | Orlov | |
|
|
Derrick Branche | ... | Vargas |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Vic Armstrong | ... | Drunken Sailor | |
| Dickey Beer | ... | Brecks's Crew | |
|
|
Phil Chatterton Tongplaw | ... | Boatswain |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Tai-Pan is Chinese for "supreme leader". This is the man with real power to his hands. And such a Tai-Pan is Dirk Struan who is obsessed by his plan to make Hong Kong the "jewel in the crown of her British Majesty". In 1841 he achieves his goal but he has many enemies who try to destroy his plans. Will they succeed? Written by Harald Mayr <marvin@bike.augusta.de>
Taglines:
Smuggler. Prince. Murderer. Father. Sinner. Saint. See more »Genres:
AdventureParents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more on IMDbPro »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
7 November 1986 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
James Clavell's Tai-Pan See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$25,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$1,863,469, 9 November 1986, Wide ReleaseGross USA:
$4,007,250Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
DolbyColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The film was made and released about exactly twenty years after its source novel "Tai-Pan" by James Clavell had been first published in 1966. See more »Goofs
Near the beginning of the movie a man is seen being executed by decapitation. As the next victim is brought to the executioner, there is no blood splatter seen from the previous killing. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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I found this movie to follow the novel pretty closely, considering of course that the novel is about 900 pages and the movie is only two hours! While not of the same outstanding caliber of adaptation as the Shogun miniseries, it nevertheless manages to generate some excitement and give a flavor for the happenings of that period, during which the colony of Hong Kong was founded.
Joan Chen was especially good as Mai-Mai, and all the other parts were at least adequately cast. The locations, sets and production values were of uniformly good quality. The only thing lacking was enough time to tell a story this long and complex--in such a short production one only has time to hit the high points of the plot. But it was enjoyable nevertheless.