by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport & Editor in Chief

“I will never understand why anyone would want to make Frankenstein, but maybe that’s a good thing.”  -Carl Laemmle, It’s Alive

As someone that has a fondness for dead persons (Have you listened my movie pod, Cinematic Crypt yet?) that lived specifically in the 1930s and 40s it is a no brainer that I would be interested in reading a historic fictional retelling of the making of Frankenstein. There is nothing about the Universal Monsters that does not interest me. What I was not expecting was to be left with the desire to know more about a studio executive simply known as Junior. Top movie production brass tend not to be my cup of tea, so heaven help me if I want to read a biography about a banker next.  

It’s Alive!, penned by Julian David Stone, tells an imaginary tale of the few days prior to filming one of the most iconic horror pictures ever made, James Whale’s Frankenstein. At the center of this yarn is Carl Laemmle Junior, a brazen young film executive determined to prove himself and emerge from the shadow of the Universal Pictures co-founder… his father. Throughout the story, Junior is in constant strife leading up to production. Obstacles abound from fights with the director over creative differences, a noncommittal actor (i.e., Bela Lugosi) and his father’s lack of understanding of the way of the future for the studio. 

What I enjoyed most about this novel was the imagined conversations. Through Stone’s words, the reader is given a fly on the wall experience during the bygone era of Tinseltown. Of course, the events may not have gone down exactly like what is depicted in the book, but given that this is a tale about a place that thrives on the imaginary, I believe this storytelling style fits perfectly. After watching numerous pictures and reading various articles about the lives of Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff, my mind drifts to the creation of fictional scenarios involving the duo in attempt to try to understand what they would have been like. For me, I found that Stone was much like Dr. Frankenstein, as he manages to bring these two individuals back to life through the pages of his book.

Recently someone asked me what my favorite era of film was and without hesitation I said the 1930s. From 1930-1934, commonly referred to as the Pre-Code Hollywood era,  some of the most fantastic of films were released. Prior to the takeoff of talkies, censorship was mostly governed by local laws and the studios themselves. With the introduction of sound to motion pictures a few uptight citizens decided that some of the films being made were promoting “evil” ideals and and thoughts. July of 1934 brought the introduction of the Hays Code, which inevitably had a major effect on the films that were produced after this time. No more independent, free-thinking career gals, sexual innuendos, or queer references. Many topics such as these were deemed “immoral” and labeled as leading to “bad behavior”. Stories would inevitably suffer and become the equivalent to a loaf of plain ole’ white bread. I mention all this, because Frankenstein was made in 1931, which begs me to wonder if a film about a person sewing up old dead body parts would have even stood a chance against the “thought police”.

As I mentioned earlier, It’s Alive! intrigued me to learn about Carl Laemmle Jr’s life in Hollywood. Despite his run as head of production for Universal Pictures being short (1928-136) he managed to produce some of my favorite pictures such as: Dracula, The Old Dark House, The Invisible Man, The Black Cat and Bride of Frankenstein . Stone presents Junior as a persistent chap that no matter how big the obstacle the picture would indeed be made. He also seemed to suffer a bit from imposter syndrome and anxiety which struck close to home and cause for my further endearment.

Even when Junior was being criticized for wanting to make a zany picture about a scientist that digs up graves, he does not give in to public dissent. I found this to be admirable, especially since the one often belittling him was his own father. According to an article on Carl Laemmle Jr. from film critic Farran Smith Nehme, “…Junior got no respect.” The write-up goes on to say,

In later years, actors and directors would reminisce. Junior “was an idiot,” said actor Allan Jones, to pick James Whale to direct Show Boat, the ill-starred film that helped doom the Laemmles’ control of Universal. “As a producer, he may not have been creative in himself, but he could put a package together,” recalled Edgar G. Ulmer’s widow, Shirley, straining for praise to film historian Gregory William Mank.

Sadly, there is not much information out there about Junior’s life. Heck, I even went so far as to reach out to Farran about it as I was hoping to dig up a biography of sorts. She was kind enough to get back to me saying, “I cobbled that <article> together from various sources that had a paragraph here, a chapter there; and also from what Dave Kehr had dug up in putting together the MOMA series.”

With all of this said, I think this should be further enticement to pick up Mr. Stone’s book as I feel it shares some of the positive impacts Junior had on the film industry. For someone that found himself head of production at the age 20, his accomplishments are nothing to sneeze at. Even though the novel may be taking some liberties it is made apparent that Frankenstein is an important motion picture in terms of horror history. The film not only changed the trajectory of Universal Pictures, but also was life changing for its star Boris Karloff and director, James Whale. All of which is conveyed through Stone’s writing.

There is one thing I am still left wondering though… in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, when Wilbur refers to Frankenstein’s monster as “Junior” is this a poke at the actual Junior and his intelligence?

It’s Alive! is available for purchase here, including signed copies.