Trailer
Plot summary
The island of Hong Kong comes under British control in 1842, at the close of the First Opium War. Few people live there and the land is difficult, yet its port looks like the way into the mainland market, which the government and the trading companies expect to be very profitable. Dirk Struan holds the title of tai-pan, heading the biggest and wealthiest of the companies trading in Asia. Tyler Brock owns the second largest. Shipmates in the past, the two are locked in a fierce rivalry that spills into business and private life alike. Brock wants revenge on Struan, and he wants to be the leading trader in China himself.
Cast
Show all 15 cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Tai-Pan (1986)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Tai-Pan was shot under communist Chinese censorship: parts of James Clavell's novel were judged too offensive to film as written, and considerable changes were made to the story.
- Steve McQueen agreed to star in a 1970s attempt at Tai-Pan for a reported fee of $3 million, then dropped out of the project but was still paid $1 million.
- Patrick McGoohan was announced to play Dirk Struan, the first of a two-picture deal he had with MGM, with Michael Anderson attached to direct.
- After Dino De Laurentiis bought the rights in late 1983 and set the film up with Orion, Sean Connery turned down the lead role.
- Shooting in China was extremely difficult, largely because of abundant red tape, and producer Dino De Laurentiis later claimed that filming there was a big mistake.
- The De Laurentiis Entertainment Group handled the production and was seen battling the Chinese government and labor boards over the film during shooting.
- James Clavell said he had not seen the film and wanted the rights to his book back to turn it into a mini-series; he bought them back in July 1991.
