Writing strictly about the DVD release of this mini-series, the 16 X 9 treatment was a real nice addition to the excellent color, easy to use menu and beautiful sound that surrounds this great story. I am not a Pierce Brosnan fan, but he performs admirably the task of playing Ian Dunross, Tai Pan of the Noble House.The other characters jump off the screen in this crisp, vibrant and colorful DVD release.The only objection I have is to the tiresome way they always have to play the full credits at the beginning of each segment of the mini-series. Why can't they have a credit chapter that only plays once? All in all, one of the better releases on DVD of an old VHS set.

I have watched this movie several times on VHS. But, I want to have it in the DVD mode. I cannot find the DVD version in the United States. It is available in Australia, shipped to the USA, BUT, they have a RED flag, saying that it can not be viewed, or played with Canada, or USA sold DVD players. Can you help me here, or, at least point me to someone that can enlighten me as to why the USA, does not have it available in the DVD Format. I appreciate any help that you may offer. I have spoken to several other viewers of this movie and they would also like the DVD version. The problem is, we do not know where to go, or whom to contact. I feel that this e-mail, is an excellent review on this Movie. I like to view such excellent movies again and again.Perry Paradise

This is a surprisingly good mini series. 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 captures that and then some. The glamor and opulence of belonging to the richest elite in Hong Kong's business circle sets the tone for the entire story. 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 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.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). Overall, a great fun to watch, but make sure you set aside enough time because it's 6 hours of non-stop entertainment.

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.In some cases, the characterizations in the miniseries hit the mark. 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. 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).Unfortunately, I thought the American performances were weak. Deborah Raffin was OK as K.C. 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. The weakest in my opinion, though, was Ben Masters as Linc Bartlett. While Mr. Masters may be a good actor, I didn't think he carried this role off very well. In the book, Bartlett is a cool, calculating, and yet personable man who comes across as opportunistic but respectful of Hong Kong business and cultural traditions. Clavell wrote him as a friendly, likable man who moves easily into the circles of power in the Colony but who is an unknown, unpredictable quantity to all of the vying factions. I thought that Mr. Masters overplayed the part as too cocky, too brash, and too shallow to be a likable or sympathetic figure. In the novel, I thought Bartlett was an intriguing character on a par with Dunross. In the miniseries, I generally thought he was just a jerk.That aside, while the miniseries has to trim a lot of the interesting sub-plots in the interest of time, it does a good job of remaining true to the spirit of Clavell's novel. I'd agree with the observation that you should watch the miniseries, then read the novel to see what the story was REALLY about.