Tai Pan (film)

TaiPan is a 1986 film directed by Daryl Duke, loosely based on James Clavells 1966 eponymous novel. While many of the same characters and plot twists are maintained, a few smaller occurrences are left out. Filmed under communist Chinese censorship, some portions of Clavells story were considered too offensive to be filmed as written and considerable changes were made.

The film begins following the British victory of the First Opium War and the seizure of Hong Kong. Although the island is largely uninhabited and the terrain unfriendly, it has a large port that both the British government and various trading companies believe will be useful for the import of merchandise to be traded on mainland China, a highly lucrative market.Although the film features many characters, it is arguably Dirk Struan and Tyler Brock, former shipmates and the owners of two massive fictional trading companies who are the main focal points of the story. Their rocky and often abusive relationship as seamen initiated an intense amount of competitive tension. ........

Source: Wikipedia