The weakest in my opinion, though, was Ben Masters as Linc Bartlett. Tcholok, but I would have preferred it if they had stuck to the story and not had her wind up romantically involved with Ian Dunross.

Unfortunately, I thought the American performances were weak. I also thought Julia Nickson Soul really heated up the screen she was much better than a young Tia Carrere (in her pre-'Wayne's World' days). Pierce Brosnan does an excellent job as the supremely self-confident Ian Dunross, John Rhys-Davies gives a truly inspired performance of charming villainy as Quillan Gornt, Burt Kwouk is very convincing as the compradore of the Noble House, and Gordon Jackson did a fine turn as the committed, conflicted Superintendent Armstrong. In some cases, the characterizations in the miniseries hit the mark. I still remember looking forward anxiously to seeing this miniseries when it first aired - I had considered 'Noble House' James Clavell's masterpiece, even greater than 'Shogun.' I had come away from reading the book with the sense of knowing the characters as if they were real people, and missing them when the book was finished. Overall, a great fun to watch, but make sure you set aside enough time because it's 6 hours of non-stop entertainment. Pierce Brosnan is at his best as the Tai Pan of the Noble House (Struan's), and cast of characters surrounding him are equally glamorous (like Tia Carrerie, Julia Nickson). The story is loosely based on an actual existing trading company - Jardine Matheson Holdings, and the building that is portrayed as Struans' headquarter was the actual Jardine Matheson and company's headquarter in Hong Kong, before relocating to Bermuda in anticipation of Hong Kong's repatriation to China in '97. Things that will be taboo in the west is permitted there like having concubines, and going to parties with them (instead of your wife !), and old guys are actually flaunting it to show off their wealth and virility ! But of course all this has price to pay and everyone is paying in this story. The glamor and opulence of belonging to the richest elite in Hong Kong's business circle sets the tone for the entire story. The story is cast in Hong Kong, and there's dynamics in doing business there that we people of the west don't quite understand.

Noble House by James Clavell