Monogram Monday: Cowboy Cavalier (1948)

Bad guys set their sights on a stage line owned by a supposed widow, Mary Croft (Claire Whitney), whose husband, Patrick Collins (Steve Clark), is actually in prison. The crooks are helped by an inside man, Lance Regan (Douglas Evans), who met Mary and Patrick’s daughter, Pat Croft (Jan Bryant), on a stage and who …

Monogram Monday: House of Mystery (1934)

A muddled mess of a mystery from Monogram has the “Curse of Kali” striking down those who claim a share in riches that an archaeologist who has gone bad, and who is now in a wheelchair, brought back from his expedition. The performers and the performances are undistinguished at best. Even the presence of a …

Monogram Monday: Fighting Fools (1949)

After a friend is killed in the boxing ring, the Bowery Boys (Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, and the rest) go after crooked fight promoters. Frankie Darro has a decent role as a comeback kid with a tie to the victim, and Lyle Talbot makes an effective heavy. The thirteenth entry in the series is a …

Monogram Monday: Invisible Ghost (1941)

Bela Lugosi plays wealthy and respected Charles Kessler, who was deserted by his wife (Betty Compson) years before. From time to time, Kessler is gripped by a homicidal mania that is set off when he sees his wife wandering around his mansion’s grounds. (Unbeknownst to Kessler, his wife is being hidden and cared for by …

Monogram Monday: Phantom of Chinatown (1940)

The final film in Monogram’s James Lee Wong series of mysteries breaks with the previous pictures in what amounts to a “reboot.” Keye Luke takes over the role of the detective from Boris Karloff, and though Grant Withers does reappear as Captain Street, Bobbie Logan (Marjorie Reynolds), his foil and romantic interest in the previous …