The General

Directed by Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman

United States, 1926

Action, Adventure, Comedy

Synopsis

When the American Civil War breaks out, confederate railroad engineer Johnny Gray has his beloved locomotive carrying his fiancée stolen by Union spies. He boards another massive train, and sets out to pursue the Northern spies to get his kidnapped steam engine back.

Our take

Regularly hailed as one of the greatest comedies ever committed to celluloid, The General is silent slapstick at its peak, leading to a wild climactic chase scene that will forever be in the record books.

The General Directed by Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman

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Awards & Festivals

Cannes Film Festival

2013

Berlin International Film Festival

1995

International Film Festival Rotterdam

1988

São Paulo International Film Festival

2016

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Cast & Crew

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Critics reviews

Gorgeously filmed in the mountains of Oregon, the film frames Keaton’s amazing tricks with a predominance of long traveling shots using the steam engine and tracks as the guiding elements of the film’s visual and comic style… He was interested in making his comedy interact with and respond to the physics of the real world, just as he was interested in using the camera to expand beyond the confines of theatrical comedy.

Rahul Hamid

March 23, 2014

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The General is a masterclass in comic direction, with Keaton’s simple setups allowing him to find both big laughs and subtle, almost throwaway gags within the same frame. He also pulls off a series of remarkable tracking shots as he clambers across the moving train — the editing fluidly pulling us from one set-piece to the next.

Philip Concannon

January 23, 2014

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What are people saying?

LauraPalmer's rating of the film The General
LauraPalmer

Rewatched and re-loved. Buster Keaton is love.
October 02, 2019 21:04
- 7
- 1
Mr. Smifff's rating of the film The General
Mr. Smifff

This is the first silent film that I ever loved. What do you get when you combine train chases, brilliant action, laugh a minute slapstick, and some of the most gorgeous cinematography ever shot? Why, The General obviously. This movie is timeless. I mean, yes, it's a civil war movie which ignores slavery, AND is told from the South's perspective, which is a fair criticism, but it still deserves my five star rating.
March 29, 2019 01:36
- 3
- 0
Jurnal Film Sementara's rating of the film The General
Jurnal Film Sementara

keaton very agile, throughout the film he never smiled, but he make me smile. I believe this film a lot of the cost, but the result is very satisfactory and outstanding. Mrembes untuk mas Keaton dan mas Bruckman
March 29, 2019 01:36
- 4
- 1
Matthew Cholewick's rating of the film The General
Matthew Cholewick

Keaton, playing the bumbling fool, is rarely aware of what's happening. This is a staple of Keaton's comedy but seen in context of the epic war movie it becomes a critique of ignorant bravery. I wish there were a few more zany stunts though.
March 29, 2019 01:36
- 3
- 0
HSBilly's rating of the film The General
HSBilly

epic! plus priceless comical performance by keaton. masterful timing and brilliant direction.
June 10, 2019 14:34
- 15
- 0
Timbo of Boston's rating of the film The General
Timbo of Boston

The purist comedy. It's a satire of heroics (heroism without skill or courage) and of the mechanical age while he works the mechanical principles of the gag. Everything he does goes wrong then goes right. It's anti-war. He wears his uniform like a child. It doesn't matter for which side. His needs are universally comic: he wants 2 things: the girl, the job. It's epic scale is a slap at Birth of a Nation, I bet. A+
March 29, 2019 01:36
- 3
- 0
anarresti's rating of the film The General
anarresti

This is such a perfect movie. Amazing editing, when it was done manually. Brilliant and hilarious! A timeless movie, made in 1926 "about" the Civil War. Buster Keaton "fights" for the Confederate Army, and we can see it now (or maybe I'm too naive) without any political conotations, just for the fun of it. Most of the movie is set on a moving train, which is an achievement in itself.
March 29, 2019 01:36
- 3
- 0
Matthew_Lucas's rating of the film The General
Matthew_Lucas

Perhaps Buster Keaton's greatest achievement, THE GENERAL may not be a laugh-a-minute knee slapper like some of his other films, but is instead a great adventure distinguished by Keaton's trademark deadpan humor. The train chase set pieces are especially impressive, THE GENERAL is an impeccably choreographed and realized comedic masterpiece. What Keaton accomplished with trains is simply astounding.
March 29, 2019 01:36
- 4
- 0