by Hal Erickson
synopsis
Das Gelbe Haus des King Fu was adapted from the stage melodrama The Yellow House of Rio. The film is an extended exercise in oriental exotica, with heroine Charlotte Susa facing several fates worse than death at the hands of the Fu Manchu-like villain. Critics were underwhelmed by the picture, citing director Karl Grune, normally a capable craftsman, for failing to bring his material to life. Even so, Grune apparently commanded great loyalty from his cast. After the premiere showing of Das Gelbe in Berlin, leading lady Susa bravely made a personal appearance, exhorting the audience to give the director a round of hearty applause.
