Never has the Civil War been so exquisitely depicted, it’s a shock that such an authentic look would come from a straight-up insane comedy like Buster Keaton’s THE GENERAL. While Keaton has made movies that have a higher laughs-per-minute ratio, THE GENERAL seems like more of a complete package. Keaton’s graceful clumsiness combined with some of the most truly inspired comic set-pieces in the genre’s history along with a gorgeous period setting make it not only a comedy classic, but one of the very best silent films ever made.