High Stakes, Big Business, and Even Bigger Egos

Read Time:4 Minute, 47 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Noble House (Blu-ray)
TV-14 –

Genre: Drama
Year Released: 1988, Kino Lorber Blu-ray 2025
Runtime: 6h 16m
Director(s): Gary Nelson
Writer(s): James Clavell
Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Deborah Raffin, Ben Masters, John Rhys-Davies, Julia Nickson, Nancy Kwan
Where To Watch: available now, order your copy here: www.kinolorber.com or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: A great miniseries can sink its hooks in, keeping audiences invested in every twist, betrayal, and power move. NOBLE HOUSE takes that formula and runs with it, delivering a saga of corporate warfare, loyalty, and fortunes won and lost—all set against the stunning backdrop of Hong Kong. It’s a story of men playing a dangerous game, where every handshake comes with an ulterior motive, and every decision could lead to dominance or downfall. While it may not be the definitive standout of its era, it is an ambitious adaptation, full of sharp performances, tense confrontations, and just enough late-80s flair to make it a fascinating watch.

At the center of the chaos is Ian Dunross, the Tai-Pan (a foreign-born senior business executive) of a powerful trading company fighting to maintain its control. Pierce Brosnan brings his signature coolness to the role, playing Dunross as a leader who appears calm under pressure but is always calculating his next move. Opposing him is Quillan Gornt, a rival businessman who sees Dunross’s struggles as his opportunity. John Rhys-Davies takes the role and runs with it, giving Gornt the larger-than-life presence that makes every interaction feel like a battle of wits and will. The arrival of an American investor only complicates matters further, introducing a new layer of deception and strategy into an already dangerous game.

Where NOBLE HOUSE succeeds is in making corporate battles feel just as suspenseful as any high-stakes thriller. Business negotiations are treated like chess matches, with each move carefully planned and every counter-move threatening to shift the balance of power. The series leans into this tension, crafting a world where a bad deal is as deadly as a gunfight. This ability to turn boardroom politics into gripping drama makes it so engaging, even when it occasionally dips into melodrama.

Brosnan commands attention as Dunross (it's easy to see why he was eventually given the role of James Bond) provides the character with a balance of charm and control that makes it easy to root for him. On the other side of the coin, Rhys-Davies is magnetic as Gornt, never allowing him to become a one-note villain. He makes Gornt compelling enough that an undeniable charisma keeps him engaging even when plotting someone’s downfall. Supporting roles from Deborah Raffin and Julia Nickson add to the drama, though they sometimes fall into predictable genre tropes that keep them from feeling as fully realized as the male leads.

Visually, the miniseries is a time capsule of its era, capturing the energy of Hong Kong in the 80s with striking cinematography and location work. However, not all of its technical elements hold up as well. While some action sequences still impress—particularly a tense fire on a floating restaurant—others don’t quite stand the test of time. A late-series landslide, intended as a dramatic climax, is undercut by dated effects that don’t carry the weight the moment deserves.

Looking at NOBLE HOUSE through a modern lens, some aspects feel stuck in their time. The way the series presents Hong Kong’s business culture leans heavily into a Western viewpoint, simplifying some of the complexities that the novel explores. Gender dynamics are also a product of their era—while Casey Tcholok is depicted as a smart and capable businesswoman, many other female characters exist primarily as love interests or figures needing saving.

Yet even with these flaws, there’s an undeniable charm to NOBLE HOUSE. It belongs to a different era of television when miniseries were grand, ambitious, and unafraid to go big. It captures that old-school sense of epic storytelling, where character rivalries drive the tension and deals made in quiet rooms have explosive consequences.

In the grand scheme of television’s miniseries boom, NOBLE HOUSE might not be the crown jewel, but it earns its place in the lineup. With strong performances, corporate power struggles that play out like strategic warfare, and an unapologetic embrace of its period, it remains an interesting piece of television history. For those who appreciate high-stakes drama and a bit of old-school television flair, it’s a ride worth taking.

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[photo courtesy of KINO LORBER]

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