Synopses & Reviews
A wholly unexpected, hugely entertaining work from one of the greatest actors of our time: the story of an eccentric early-twentieth-century pirate, on the high seas from the Philippines to Shanghai a larger-than-life character that Brando could have easily inhabited himself.
Anatole Annie Doultry is in his early fifties, with an imposing physical presence and a reputation to match. In 1927, he is serving six months in a hellish Hong Kong prison where, on a whim, he saves the life of a Chinese prisoner.
The prisoner's employer happens to be Madame Lai Choi San. Beautiful, ruthless, and shrewd, she is one of the most notorious gangsters in Asia. When Annie gets out of prison, Madame Lai thanks him with an offer of inconceivable wealth if he will join her in the biggest act of piracy the world has ever seen. Madame Lai is a seductive and powerful ally, but Annie is about to discover that she can be an even more powerful and dangerous enemy.
With his longtime collaborator, screenwriter and director Donald Cammell, Brando worked on this story for years. He's left us with a rollicking, swashbuckling, delectable romp of a novel the last surprise from an ever-surprising legend.
Review
"Fan-Tan is basically a curio, and students of film, lovers of Brando, or those with a hankering for another tale of avarice and deceit on the high seas will want to have a look." Houston Chronicle
Review
"...an exceedingly strange, high-stepping, low-stooping tale that pulses fitfully with talent all of it Cammell's." Washington Post
Synopsis
Brando and his collaborator Cammell create the story of an eccentric early 20th century pirate, a larger-than-life character, who saves the life of a Chinese prisoner. When he's released from jail, the pirate becomes entangled in the biggest act of piracy that part of the world has seen.
About the Author
Marlon Brando appeared in more than forty films, including
The Wild One,
A Streetcar Named Desire, and
Apocalypse Now, and won Academy Awards for his performances in
On the Waterfront and
The Godfather. His autobiography,
Songs My Mother Taught Me, was published in 1994.
Donald Cammell, writer, actor, producer, and director, was best known for his films Performance, Demon Seed, and Wild Side.