This is another of Paramount's Anna May Wong vehicles of B length with much of the same cast we see in her other efforts of that time. It will be of definite interest to her fans. On this occasion, the portrayal of a professional Chinese-American woman of principle and good heart is well handled. In fact, some recent films could play close attention to some of the details here in that regard and learn from them.

Chinese culture and most other issues are also handled in a progressive fashion and not overdone. The cast and the director knows their craft and delivers. All that is satisfying given this is a 30s B movie without the time or resources to develop a lot of deep characters and sub-plots.

Sixty years ago America's hospitals were already staffed by East Asians, if Anna May Wong's skill with a scalpel is anything to go by; and she is supported by two future Charlie Chans in the form of well known Hollywood Eurasians Sidney Toler (resembling Tony Randall as Dr.Lao as her father) and J.Carroll Naish.

Heaven knows what part of Europe or Latin America a young & suave Akim Tamiroff (actually Russian) is supposed to hail from in the title role as anti-hero Nick Baturin; but Zorba was mercifully many years in the future when Anthony Quinn was required simply to be smoothly villainous in a supporting role as an all-American gangster.

In King of Chinatown, Akim Tamiroff tries hard to redeem his heavy-handed portrait in Dangerous To Know. This time his gangster is both more subdued and more credible. Unfortunately for his success, the film's acting honors are stolen by J. Carroll Naish who enacts a character role with rare finesse. Director Nick Grinde puts the action across at a reasonable pace, but the lovely Anna May Wong is wasted in a colorless role as the doctor who saves Tamiroff's life. Series regular, Anthony Quinn, makes the most of a meaty part as a not over-bright but opportunistic racketeer, while studiously stiff Sidney Toler does his best to slow the action to a crawl. Fortunately, Daughter of Shanghai's Philip Ahn is once again on hand to partner Anna May but little is made of his role here and he is allowed to disappear for long stretches.