Monogram Matinee: Volume 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Monogram Matinee: Volume 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Two more from the vaults.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III July 31, 2026

Long-defunct film studio Monogram Pictures Corporation was known during the 1930s, 40s, and 50s as a champion of low-budget entertainment and part of "Poverty Row", the nickname given to like-minded "B" outfits that stood in sharp contrast to the extravagance of Hollywood's Golden Age. Nowadays, even Monogram's best big-screen efforts play more like forgotten TV pilots or part of an anthology series, covering several different genres such as film noir, suspense, and comedy while others blossomed into long-running series like Mr. Wong, The East Side Kids, and of course Charlie Chan. A large part of their more than 700-film output during those three decades (and beyond, after the studio transitioned into Allied Artists Pictures) was Westerns and dramas, both lightly tinted with musical elements, and Warner Archive's Monogram Matinee: Volume 2 serves up two of 'em in this follow-up to last year's Volume 1.

First up in this double feature is Phil Karlson's 1947 film Louisiana, a biographical drama that traces the early life and rise of country singer, songwriter, and future Louisiana governor Jimmie Davis (also featured in Mississippi Rhythm, the main feature of Volume 1), who portrayed himself in the film while he was still in office. (Word has it that the smooth performance helped him get re-elected too -- truly, American politics at their finest.) Set against the rural backdrop of his home state, Louisiana's story begins with young Davis (Ralph Reed) presented as the music-loving son of a poor sharecropping family. Despite their financial hardship and limited opportunities, his parents (Eddy Waller and Mary Field) encourage Jimmie to pursue an education while developing his obvious musical talents.

As Jimmie matures, he works a variety of jobs to pay his way through college while continuing to write and perform songs inspired by the people and traditions of his home state. His warm personality, determination, and faith help him overcome numerous obstacles, eventually leading to success as a popular gospel / country recording artist and radio entertainer. Along the way, Jimmie forms meaningful relationships, including a romance with Alvern Adams (Margaret Lindsay), whose encouragement supports his growing ambitions which will, of course, eventually include public service. A mostly by-the-numbers biopic with strategically placed song breaks performed by you-know-who (including his most well-known hit, "You Are My Sunshine", also heard in O Brother, Where Art Thou?), Louisiana is nonetheless enjoyable as a light drama and a potential cautionary tale of mixing politics and entertainment. Film Rating: 3.5/5.

Also included here is Wallace Fox's even more lightweight 1944 Western Song of the Range, which clocks in at only 55 minutes and makes Louisiana's 86 minutes feel borderline epic by comparison. The story follows a trio of musically-inclined cowboys -- Jimmy (Jimmy Wakely), Denny (Jimmy Wakely), and Lasses (Lee "Lasses" White, a former minstrel performer whose biggest hit shouldn't be in your browsing history) -- who end up getting tangle in small-town drama that soon involves something much bigger than expected. Gunfire erupts during an early scuffle after Denny finds and returns a woman's missing wallet, which leaves one man dead and another wounded one missing. Circumstantial evidences causes the woman, Dale Harding (Cay Forester), to falsely accuse Denny of murder.

Before he's arrested, the trio sets out to uncover the truth and clear Denny's name, soon discovering the wounded fugitive and Dale Harding are actually government agents working undercover to expose a gold-smuggling network. Realizing they've stumbled into a much larger conspiracy, the cowboys join forces with the agents to track down the smugglers and bring the gang's leaders to justice. Following the familiar formula of 1940s "B" Westerns, Song of the Range pairs lighthearted entertainment with a fast-paced mystery and, despite its brevity, is likewise an enjoyable little film that should appeal to genre fans who don't mind a little song and dance. Film Rating: 3.25/5.

Monogram Matinee: Volume 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The long and short of Warner Archive's exclusive new 1080p transfers is that they've been derived from the best-available preservation elements (both nitrate fine-grains), which were recently scanned in 4K and treated to a careful round of the boutique label's proprietary manual cleanup process. Given the similarity of these materials (as opposed to the more mixed sourced used for Volume 1), both Louisiana and Song of the Range are uniformly pleasing enough that it's impossible to pick a winner. As seen in these direct-from-disc screenshots, viewers can expect a satisfying amount of fine detail and textures, as well as strong lack levels and visible grain throughout, all of which help to support both of these films' basic but workmanlike production design and cinematography. Again, this is a top-tier effort and long-time fans of the studio's output will be thrilled with Louisiana and Song of the Range look on Blu-ray.

Louisiana: Screenshots #1, 2, 6-13

Song of the Range: Screenshots #3, 5, 14-21

Monogram Matinee: Volume 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

All three DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mixes are sourced from the same source elements listed above and have likewise been cleaned of most age-related wear-and-tear, and overall they sound a bit better than two of the lesser-sourced films featured in Volume 1 due to better surviving elements. In short, both Louisiana and Song of the Range exhibit uniformly crisp dialogue with plenty of room left over for political grandstanding, occasional gunshots, rousing chase sequences, and of course plenty of songs. In short, they're exactly what you'd expect for mono tracks presented in a split two-channel container and, like the visuals, likely exceed those heard in theaters back in the 1940s.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during both films.

Monogram Matinee: Volume 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with attractive collage cover art showcasing both original one-sheet posters. Although no bonus features are included, given the sticker price that's not a deal-breaker.

Monogram Matinee: Volume 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Warner Archive's welcome Monogram Matinee Volume 2 continues Volume 1's tribute to the popular "Poverty Row" movie studio Monogram Pictures, a B-movie house that released hundreds upon hundreds of low-budget films during the 1930s-50s under that name before transitioning to Allied Artists Pictures. As its title implies, it's another light dig into the massive vaults and offers one musically-themed biopic and one musically-themed Western, both making their home video debuts. The A/V merits are just as solid, making this another welcome set that fans will enjoy.