IMDb RATING
5.6/10
1.9K
YOUR RATING
Historical fiction set against the backdrop of Hong Kong in its early years of British rule.Historical fiction set against the backdrop of Hong Kong in its early years of British rule.Historical fiction set against the backdrop of Hong Kong in its early years of British rule.
- Awards
- 2 nominations
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaProducer Martin Ransohoff and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio in 1966 acquired the rights to James Clavell's source "Tai-Pan" novel for US $500,000. The movie was then announced by MGM in 1967-68 to star Patrick McGoohan to play Dirk Struan, to be directed by Michael Anderson, with source novelist Clavell writing the screenplay. The picture was originally budgeted to cost US $26 million which was then reduced to US $20 million. The project sat around stagnant for a time in development hell. However, after severe operating losses, the epic was one of a number of expensive projects the new management at the MGM studio dropped as being too costly. The project and the development of the movie at MGM was in the end canceled by executive James T. Aubrey.
- GoofsIn a scene, set in 1841, several of the ladies were wearing bright mauve outfits. That would have been most unlikely for the wives of middle class traders at that time as the color purple was prohibitively expensive before the invention of analine dyes in London - in 1856. By 1870 these gaudy colors had become so cheap and commonplace that it became a status symbol to mimic the subtler, paler colors of the pre analine dye days.
- Quotes
Dirk Struan: No emperor has seen the guns of a British man-of-war.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Siskel & Ebert: 52 Pick-Up/Nobody's Fool/Tai Pan/The Sacrifice (1986)
Featured review
19th century saga in 3 easy steps
first, inject countless clichés and stereotypes, populate the cast with some well-knowns, and add some 'tit'illation.
and wait for the box office receipts to pour in!!!
I am very very disappointed in this film which I purchased on VHS. its one of those I *know* I wont be watching a 2nd time.
it meanders, gap toothed, and those stereotypes just weigh it down till it sinks in Hong Kong harbor. and of course, top it all off with a quickie pan of modern day Hong Kong.
some good acting but not enough to overcome the numerous shortcomings.
I didn't read the book but Im sure it far outclasses this quickie 2 + hour 'featurette'. is there a Hollywood ombudsman you can call up to you know, get your money back or something?
Im glad IMDb exists so that duds like this can be outed and red-flagged.
and wait for the box office receipts to pour in!!!
I am very very disappointed in this film which I purchased on VHS. its one of those I *know* I wont be watching a 2nd time.
it meanders, gap toothed, and those stereotypes just weigh it down till it sinks in Hong Kong harbor. and of course, top it all off with a quickie pan of modern day Hong Kong.
some good acting but not enough to overcome the numerous shortcomings.
I didn't read the book but Im sure it far outclasses this quickie 2 + hour 'featurette'. is there a Hollywood ombudsman you can call up to you know, get your money back or something?
Im glad IMDb exists so that duds like this can be outed and red-flagged.
helpful•58
- widescreenguy
- Jul 8, 2007
- How long is Tai-Pan?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Tai Pan
- Filming locations
- Chen Family Temple - Guangzhou, China(Commissioner Lin's court)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $25,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $4,007,250
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,863,469
- Nov 9, 1986
- Gross worldwide
- $4,007,250
- Runtime2 hours 7 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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