The General (1926)
A thrilling Civil War chase where one man fights to reclaim his stolen locomotive and rescue his love. Adventure fans rejoice!
Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, War
Cast
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The General(1926)
Overview
During America’s Civil War, Union spies steal engineer Johnny Gray's beloved locomotive, 'The General'—with Johnnie's lady love aboard an attached boxcar—and he single-handedly must do all in his power to both get The General back and to rescue Annabelle.
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Cast
Full Cast & Crew
Buster Keaton
Johnnie Gray
Marion Mack
Annabelle Lee
Glen Cavender
Captain Anderson
Jim Farley
General Thatcher
Frederick Vroom
A Southern General
Frank Barnes
Annabelle's Brother
Charles Henry Smith
Annabelle's Father
Joe Keaton
Union General
Mike Donlin
Union General
Tom Nawn
Union General
Jimmy Bryant
Raider (uncredited)
Budd Fine
Raider (uncredited)
Eddie Foster
Union Railroad Fireman (uncredited)
Frank Hagney
Confederate Recruiter (uncredited)
Ray Hanford
Raider (uncredited)
Jack Hanlon
Bit Part (uncredited)
Edward Hearn
Union Officer (uncredited)
Hilliard Karr
Soldier (uncredited)
Elgin Lessley
Union General Who Gives Command to ...
Louis Lewyn
Soldier (uncredited)
Featured Comments/Tips
One of the best silent films ever made. Buster Keaton is the man.
While I'#39;m not a fan of silent movies, I am a fan of Keaton'#39;s. That said, I wonder if it was problematic at the time to have a confederate soldier as the protagonist...
I’m still not a fan of silent films, but this one is okay. It feels less silly compared to some of Chaplin’s films and I think I like that a bit more.
A classic, which did not age well compared with other movies of similar age. A bit repetitive in its development, not necessarily always engaging in the action or in the comedy. But a very nice ending.
I can understand why The General holds a special place in cinema history. As a silent film from the 1920s, it was groundbreaking for its time, showcasing impressive stunts and innovative filmmaking techniques. For its era, it accomplished a lot and clearly influenced many films that followed. However, despite appreciating its historical significance, this movie just wasn’t for me. The first 45 minutes were engaging enough, with some clever moments and daring action sequences. But after that, the film lost my interest. The pacing felt slow, and the story lacked the emotional or narrative pull to keep me entertained. I can see why others enjoy The General, especially those who admire classic cinema or are fans of Buster Keaton’s work. But as a modern viewer, it didn’t resonate with me and failed to hold my attention. It’s a film I respect more than I enjoy, and unfortunately, it just wasn’t an entertaining experience for me
Buster Keaton is absolutely wild
Great and obviously an amazing technical achievement, but it doesn’t quite have the emotional heart or intellect of a Chaplin film. Not that it necessarily needs to, because it works just fine as an experiential type of film, but the visceral impact of this film by itself is probably not as big as it was 100 years ago (and therefore it’s not quite as compelling when it relies on that). The comedy and wit found throughout are still pretty great, and I do continue to love how silent movies often are able to build character just through the exaggerated acting. It’s cinema in its purest form, still a lot of fun to watch if you can appreciate film as an artistic medium. 8/10
bro just stumbled his way through the civil war
Level '#34;Excellent'#34; • 8 :heart: • Recommended.
The father of the modern blockbuster movie. Non-stop action. I could see it being remade today, although it would look fake af with all the cgi.
There were some crazy train stunts in this but besides those it was ok.
I never thought a 90-year old movie could entertain me like "The General" did. I feel sorry for anyone that won't be open to films that are A) old or B) Black and White. This film is hilarious and astounding. Buster Keaton's humor is so subtle. You must keep your eyes on him because you'll be rewarded with laughter if you do. He is also an incredible athlete. The stunts he does, and he did all his own stunts, are effortless and graceful. There are no special effects. Everything he does is real. But don't you dare say that the effects aren't special.
Buster Keaton just cracked the ultimate joke out of a war.
The pinnacle, I think, of Keaton's stuntman panache as well as the peak of his storytelling abilities and comedic sensibilities. The story is still basic (man wants to join army to win favor with girl), but the implementation is anything but. Centered around a train ride to and fro, behind enemy lines and back, his skill is on full display from start to finish. Wonderful use of on-location shooting and what sure look like real trains, this is a nail-biter and a laugh fest throughout. Docking it one point on rewatch because of the dissonance involved in situating the hero on the confederate side. Odd choice, that.
Featured User Reviews
Buster Keaton plays a mid-19th century train conductor who desperately wants to join the Confederate army to impress a girl. That determined drive, plus a set of unusual circumstances, sends him deep behind enemy lines amidst of a pair of wild railway chases, said girl on his arm, on an indirect route to finally earning that gray uniform. Keaton's strength here is in both the delightful quandaries he digs for himself and the vivid reality of his work, often throwing caution to the wind and putting his body in the path of legitimate danger. His style is more grounded than Charlie Chaplin, a contemporary and rival, less flowery and expressive but equally inventive and influential. Where one can see the matte painting at the edge of Chaplin's roller skates in Modern Times, Keaton casually showboats mere inches from the wheels of a three-hundred ton steam engine in motion. He hurls a speeding train off a rickety wooden bridge, leaving much of the cast unaware to capture a more honest reaction. His stunts are more practical, if perhaps less showy. The plot is sufficiently interesting, but uneven at points. Curious to see a film shot entirely from the southern perspective in this scenario, with the Yankees playing the dastardly saboteurs, though the rebels aren't quite seen as heroes themselves. It's possibly more meaningful as a piece of historical influence than as a standalone film.
Just amazing. Really, really impressive scenes with the railway engines and a physically incredible Keaton.
There's quite a lot going on here - it is certainly comedic, but there is also plenty of action and even some romance in this American Civil War story. Keaton ("Johnnie") has been deemed more important as a railroad engineer so was rejected as a soldier - but this causes his girlfriend "Annabelle" and her family to think he is yella'! When the Yankees concoct a plan to steal his engine "The General" whilst she is travelling on it; he must use all his wits and guile to get them both back and is soon caught being enemy lines where he learns of their dastardly plan to attack. Can he get back with his gal and tell his confederates of the Unionist plans? There is something about the quality of the images - they are pretty much prefect; even when the train in rattling along a-pace. There are loads of skirmishes supporting a properly constructed, and exciting, story with plenty of drama and sometimes some quite scary bits too, all jammed into just over an hour. The version I saw had been re-scored by Carl Davis and that added immeasurably to the pace and tension - and the romance - and helped create a superb piece of cinema.
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