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The General
1926
A young railroad engineer is prevented from enlisting in the Confederate Army because of his profession. A year later he is able to free his girlfriend who is a passenger on a train hijacked by Union soldiers. Historians consider this film to be the last truly classic comedy of the silent film era. Set against the background of .. Read more
| Starring | Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavander, Jim Farley |
|---|---|
| Director | Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman |
| Genres | Comedy |
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The General
A young railroad engineer is prevented from enlisting in the Confederate Army because of his profession. A year later he is able to free his girlfriend who is a passenger on a train hijacked by Union soldiers. Historians consider this film to be the last truly classic comedy of the silent film era. Set against the background of the railroads and our hero's great love - a locomotive known as 'The General'.
| Starring | Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavander, Jim Farley, Joseph Keaton |
|---|---|
| Director | Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman |
| Studio | CINEMA CLUB |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs Watch now: 1 hr 16 mins |
| Certificate | DVD: , Watch Online: |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Language | English |
| Released | DVD: 19 Feb 2001 Watch now: 03 Aug 2009 Production year: 1926 |
| Watch now | Subscribe and watch this as part of an unlimited package. |
| Format | DVD |
The General (1926)
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Critics' reviews (2)
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Buster Keaton's greatest movie is, some would argue, the finest silent screen comedy ever made. Stone-faced engineer Buster loves his vast steam locomotive, “The General”, almost as much as his girlfriend (Marion Mack). When he is rejected by the Confederate Army, Mack brands him a coward and breaks off the engagement. Later, he risks all to pursue the train with her on board when it's stolen by Yankee spies. The humour ranges from the gentle to the exhilarating, while the drama of the railtrack-chase has a visual beauty that puts this comedy into the category of true classic. Buster Keaton's genius was not just in the nuts and bolts of invention, but in the creation of an endearing character.
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Keaton's best, and arguably the greatest screen comedy ever made. Against a meticulously evoked Civil War background,... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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15 out of 16 people found this review helpful
A masterpiece
Johnnie(Buster Keaton), a train driver, tries to enlist in the civil war but is turned down and his girlfriend is not impressed, 'Don't talk to me again until you're in uniform' she tells him. Things look bad for Johnnie but when northern soldiers steal his train, and his girl, he sets out to save them both.
What follows is a collection of the greatest visual gags, finest comic acting and most draw-dropping stunts in cinema history. Most viewers would think it impossible to construct a chase with trains, after all they are both on tracks and one must also be behind the other. Keaton throws that logic out of the window and endlessly suprises the audience with his imaginative storytelling. He sets increasingly dangerous obstacles for his hero to face(no stunt doubles here) and the ingenious way he overcomes them makes this timeless comedy something truly special. Keaton was also a fine comic actor and reacts to life-threatening situations with a simple look of deadpan bemusement.
This is a solid gold masterpiece which is recommended to viewers of all ages. Unmissable. -
Most recent members' review
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Fantastic film
'The General' really is a wonderful film, and stands the test of time remarkably well.
It doesn't suffer from a 'lack of sound' - rather, the absence of dialogue means much more is given to the visual elements - from facial expressions to gags. Keaton does slapstick how it's meant to be done - naturally and surprising the viewer at every turn - rather than the sort you see in modern films, which can be contrived and predictable.
This film is funny, engaging and exciting - the railway chase scenes are accompanied by classic silent movie chase music. As a bonus, it contains the single most expensive shot of the silent movie era!
Unmissable. -
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The General
A young railroad engineer is prevented from enlisting in the Confederate Army because of his profession. A year later he is able to free his girlfriend who is a passenger on a train hijacked by Union soldiers. Historians consider this film to be the last truly classic comedy of the silent film era. ...
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