Noble House: The Tai Pan's residence - The Peak, Hong Kong

In Noble House, the Tai Pan, played by Pierce Brosnan, is living in a grand house up on the Peak, the most expensive land in Hong Kong. Several scenes take place in and around the house, including the big party and a few of the final scenes when Quillan Gornt comes to see the Tai Pan in the early morning before the stock exchange opens. The house is called Victoria House and is located on one of the most prestigious addresses in Hong Kong. 

Victoria House in April 2017

Brosnan as the Tai Pan and John Rhys Davies as Quillan Gornt

Tai Pan receives a visit from Lando Mata in his Aston Martin Lagonda

The house is located at 15 Barker Road on The Peak. During the British rule of Hong Kong, this house was the official residence of the British Chief Secretary. The position was called "Colonial Secretary" up until 1976 when it was renamed Chief Secretary. As Noble House was filmed in 1988 one can imagine that it was quite easy for the film team to borrow the house for the filming.

The Tai Pan's residence in Noble House - 1988 

Since the handover in 1997 the house has been the official residence of The Chief Secretary for Administration, commonly known as the Chief Secretary of Hong Kong. The position currently held by The Honourable Matthew Cheung since since 16 January 2017. The house is, naturally, not open to the public.

A very nice way of getting to the house is by walking up the 'Central Green Trail', which is a nice walking path from Central in Hong Kong, all the way up to the Peak. The trail ends right below Victoria House and on your way up you will get spectacular views of the Hong Kong skyline as seen below.

Noble House: Man Mo temple - Hong Kong

In the second episode of Noble House, the renowned Bond actor Burt Kwok (appearing in both Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice) plays Philip Chen, compradore to the Tai Pan. After the kidnapping of his son, Philip is delivering the ransom money to the kidnappers for the return of his son. They have instructed him that the handover shall take place at the Man Mo temple at nine o'clock.

The mentioning of the Man Mo temple is accurate, since this is the location where Philip Chen actually is dropped off by the taxi in the episode. Philip walks across the street and down the steps as instructed by the kidnappers. The Man Mo temple can be found in the middle of Hong Kong, namely at 124-126 Hollywood Road in Tai Ping Shan, west of Soho.

Why the Man Mo temple would be chosen by the kidnappers for the handing over of the ransom money is a bit unclear since this is a very central location with the police headquarters close by. Even though there are a lot of people for the kidnappers to blend in with, one would think that a more remote location would have been more appropriate.

Noble House: Tin Hau Temple - Repulse Bay

In the brilliant mini series Noble House from 1988, covered earlier on this blog, Pierce Brosnan plays Ian Struan Dunross, the Tai Pan of one of the largest shipping companies in Hong Kong. When the Tai Pan finds himself in financial difficulties, he contacts the opium smuggler Four-finger Wu to ask him for a loan. They meet secretly at what appears to be an old Chinese temple on an island outside of Hong Kong. Four-finger arrives on a boat from his home in Aberdeen.

The Tai Pan meets with Four-finger Wu at the temple

The location however, can be found in Repulse Bay on the south side of Hong Kong Island. The temple is called Tin Hau Temple and even though you get the impression that the temple is located far from the city, you can find it right next to the beach in Repulse Bay. Today, there are condos and a large mall built right behind the temple.

The location however, is still very recognisable today although the fish seen to the left has been painted yellow. During our visit people desperately threw coins into the mouth of the fish, trying to get them to stay there (supposedly for good luck).

Repulse Bay is just a short bus ride from the Central district. The bay is spectacularly located framed by the mountains overgrown with high end condominiums and town houses. The symbolic for having the Tai Pan meeting Four-finger Wu at this location probably has to do with the history of Repulse Bay being an old pirate refuge, later "repulsed" by the British, hence its name.

The temple is named after one of Hong Kong's beloved gods, Tin Hau. Tin Hau is the Goddess of the Sea, overseeing and protecting fishermen and a large statue of Tin Hau can be found here.

Also seen in the film is an inscription on a stone plate, stating:

"Each time you cross this bridge your life will be prolonged 3 days"

This stone plate is placed on a bridge next to the temple, and can still be found on location today, on the same bridge. This is the Longevity Bridge which you must cross to add three days to your life.

Night Watch: The Regent Hong Kong / Hotel Intercontinental

Night Watch

In 1995, Pierce Brosnan starred in a TV movie called Night Watch. A large part of the action in the film takes place in and around Hong Kong. Brosnan plays UN agent Mike Graham who, together with his partner Sabrina Carver, is sent to investigate the theft of Rembrandt's painting 'The Night Watch'. The trail takes them from Amsterdam to Hong Kong and involves them in art theft and forgery.

In the film, Mike Graham and Sabrina Carver are checking into the Regent Hong Kong Hotel. The hotel is located in Tsim Sha Tsui district on the Kowloon side, just a stone's throw away from the Peninsula Hotel.

The Regent Hong Kong has since 1995 changed owners and is today named the Intercontinental Hotel.

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Noble House

The same hotel, the Regent Hong Kong, also featured in the mini series Noble House from 1988 which, coincidentally, also starred Pierce Brosnan. Brosnan, playing the Tai Pan of the Noble House, "Struan & Co", is walking into the Regent for a meeting with police inspector Brian Kwok in the second episode. Unfortunately Brian Kwok has been detained and the Tai Pan never gets to enjoy any drinks at the hotel.

The Tai Pan looks for Brian Kwok in the lobby of the Regent

The Intercontinental definitely has the best hotel bar in Hong Kong. Even better than "Felix", which is the sky bar at the Peninsula or the bar at Ritz in the ICC skyscraper. Mandarin Oriental, located on Hong Kong Island, comes in on a close second. They lose to Intercontinental only because of the view. The location of Intercontinental, right by the water, with a full view over the Hong Kong skyline makes it one of a kind.

The drinks at Intercontinental are outstanding and the service is impeccable. The Peninsula however, probably one of the best hotels in the world, unfortunately does not maintain its otherwise extremely high standards in their sky bar called Felix, which is sad and makes a visit to Felix unnecessary.

The skybar at Sheraton, located across the street from Intercontinental, is also very good, but cannot match Intercontinental's service.

Hong Kong appears to have been a popular filming location during the 1980's and early 90's. It almost feels like everyone wanted to use this location before the handover to China in 1997, which supposedly would have made filming more difficult than under the British rule.

Queen's Pier, Hong Kong - a lost Bond location

The white building (the two story parking garage) can still be found on location

After "arresting" Bond outside the Bottoms Up club in central Hong Kong, Lieutenant Hip takes Bond down to the docks where a police boat is waiting. Very little is seen as they drive down to the pier and the waiting police boat, but a few details in the background makes it possible to determine the exact location. The police boat is moored right by the short end of the Queen's Pier in the Central district on Hong Kong Island.

The pillars of the Queen's Pier can be seen to the right

The Queen's Pier, named after Queen Victoria, was a public pier in front of City Hall, located in Edinburgh Place on Hong Kong Island. It was not only a public pier but it also served as a major ceremonial arrival and departure point for dignitaries in Hong Kong during the British rule. The official arrival of all of Hong Kong's governors since 1925 has taken place at this pier. What makes it possible to determine the location of the pier in The Man With the Golden Gun is the pillar structure on the pier.

The round BAYER sign is visible on the Hong Kong skyline as Bond and Hip leave the Queen's pier

The location of the pier is a factual error in the film, since the Bottoms Up club in reality was located on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong at the time of filming (that is to say the mainland side of Hong Kong). However, in the film the Bottoms Up is supposed to be located on Hong Kong Island, and that is why Lieutenant Hip says to Bond that they are going to the police station on the Kowloon side. Later on, the Bottoms Up relocated to Hong Kong Island, before it went out of business in the early 2000's.

The Queen's Pier also featured in one episode of the miniseries Noble House, starring Pierce Brosnan. In the third episode, Dunross and Casey take the Tai Pan's boat to Macau. They are being picked up at the Queen's Pier as seen below.

The long Star Ferry Pier is also visible in the background

The same pillars are seen in The Man With the Golden Gun, and as Bond and Hip walk down to the police boat, part of the 'Star Ferry Pier' is also seen in the background (picture below). The Star Ferry Pier still exists today, but not in the same location, as the land has been reclaimed. This part of the Star Ferry Pier is also seen (picture above) as the Tai Pan's boat docks in Noble House. 

The Star Ferry Pier, the same building as seen in Noble House 

The police boat then leaves the pier on Hong Kong Island and heads for the wreckage of Queen Elizabeth, the half sunken cruise ship in Victoria harbour, where Bond later jumps ship only to find out that he has been taken to Mi6's secret headquarters in Hong Kong. As the police boat sets off, one building in particular can be seen at the skyline of Hong Kong Island, namely the round "Bayer" sign. This building was located right behind the Queen's Pier in 1974.

Seen as part of the skyline right next to the Bayer building is the large Furama Hong Kong Hotel (with green neon letters at the top). This building had been built in 1973 and was thus brand new when the filming of The Man With the Golden Gun was underway. The Furama Hong Kong Hotel was however demolished in 2001 to make way for the new AIA Central office building, which still can be found in that location today.

Picture taken in the early 70's during the construction of the Furama Hotel which is seen in the film

Hong Kong skyline from 1995 - The Furama in its original location but the BAYER building has been demolished

In 2007 the Queen's Pier was closed by the government to enable land reclamation. Before demolishing the Pier, there was fierce opposition from conservationists, who wanted to preserve the landmark. However, despite fierce opposition, the Queen's Pier was sadly demolished in 2008.

This Star Ferry Pier has been rebuilt further out in the water, due to the land reclamation. However, it is still located fairly close to the original location, where it was located during the filming of Golden Gun.

The Star Ferry Pier, at the waterfront just below "Noble House"

As the police boat sails across Victoria Harbour, the Hong Kong skyline is visible in the background.