It was an early Saturday afternoon, and I was searching about for a light-hearted comedic adventure film to keep me amused until dinner was ready. My eyes suddenly fell upon 'The General,' starring the inimitable Buster Keaton, and released in 1927. I had never seen it before, but having greatly enjoyed the absolutely hilarious 'Sherlock Jr.' of three years earlier I was more than willing to give it a shot. On its initial release, 'The General' was a mammoth box office flop, by and large disparaged by the critics, though time has been kind to the film. Today, it is rightly considered a comedy masterpiece, and is often the first stepping-stone for newcomers to discover the treasure-trove of silent comedic classics released by "The Great Stone Face."
Johnny Gray is Keaton's usual glum-faced character, a young man with courage, bravery and a thirst to prove himself, but ultimately without the means to do so. First in line to join the American Civil War to fight the Union, Johnny is turned away at the enlisting office due to his importance as a railway engineer, and he suffers the shame of not being able to fight with his fellow countrymen. Aside from his engine, The General a type 4-4-0 steam locomotive Johnny has but one love, Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack). However, when she is wrongly told that Johnny never even stood in line to enlist, she believes him to be a coward, and refuses to be with him until he is in uniform.
One year on, Johnny finally stumbles upon a means to prove himself, when Union Army spies (headed by prolific silent film actor Glen Cavender) hijack his beloved General, and Annabelle finds herself a prisoner at the mercy of a group of cunning and unpredictable soldiers. Determined to recover what he loves, Johnny single-handedly gives chase, acquiring another locomotive, The Texas, to assist in the cross-country chase, which is based on true events. Facing setbacks at every turn in the railway, Johnny must use every inch of intellect he possesses in order to outwit his adversaries, rescue his loved ones (both the General and Annabelle) and save the day for the Confederacy.
Technically, 'The General' is a cinematic marvel. A considerable portion of the movie was filmed on an actual moving train (you'll find no miniature plastic models here), and the actors especially Buster Keaton do a remarkable job of completing their performances with the additional burden of wind, motion and the potentially fatal consequences of a single misstep. As in all his films, Keaton's dedication to the medium is instantly apparent, with his character completing a wide assortment of hair-raising stunts, including jumping from the engine to a tender to a boxcar, sitting on the cow-catcher of the slow moving train while holding a railroad tie, and running along the roof. The final climactic crash of the locomotive, in which a bridge crumbles as the Texas attempts to cross it, was the single most ambitious and expensive scene of the silent era.
The laughs come thick and fast, with Johnny persevering forwards despite any number of obstacles that may come his way. The film does slow down a bit during its centre portion, namely because there is temporarily not a train in sight, but, once Johnny manages to reclaim his General, things get exciting again. The second half of the film is a complete reversal of the first, with Johnny now at the helm of the locomotive being chased. Some absurdly-dangerous stunt work, and some high-speed railway thrills, makes this ride a highly entertaining one.
'The General' is currently sitting in the public domain. This is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it allows practically anybody to access a copy of the film, whether it be on DVD or the internet, increasing public awareness of Keaton's films and perhaps even inspiring an interest in the silent classics that are too often neglected. On the other hand, being in the public demand means that any distributor can digitize a poor-quality print and sell it as 'The General' to make a few quick dollars. The version I uncovered was decent enough, but the soundtrack was a rather random assortment of classical music, which was passable but not ideal. Needless to say, if I were to ever encounter a high-quality print of the film, I would have absolutely no hesitation in purchasing it.
Johnny Gray is Keaton's usual glum-faced character, a young man with courage, bravery and a thirst to prove himself, but ultimately without the means to do so. First in line to join the American Civil War to fight the Union, Johnny is turned away at the enlisting office due to his importance as a railway engineer, and he suffers the shame of not being able to fight with his fellow countrymen. Aside from his engine, The General a type 4-4-0 steam locomotive Johnny has but one love, Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack). However, when she is wrongly told that Johnny never even stood in line to enlist, she believes him to be a coward, and refuses to be with him until he is in uniform.
One year on, Johnny finally stumbles upon a means to prove himself, when Union Army spies (headed by prolific silent film actor Glen Cavender) hijack his beloved General, and Annabelle finds herself a prisoner at the mercy of a group of cunning and unpredictable soldiers. Determined to recover what he loves, Johnny single-handedly gives chase, acquiring another locomotive, The Texas, to assist in the cross-country chase, which is based on true events. Facing setbacks at every turn in the railway, Johnny must use every inch of intellect he possesses in order to outwit his adversaries, rescue his loved ones (both the General and Annabelle) and save the day for the Confederacy.
Technically, 'The General' is a cinematic marvel. A considerable portion of the movie was filmed on an actual moving train (you'll find no miniature plastic models here), and the actors especially Buster Keaton do a remarkable job of completing their performances with the additional burden of wind, motion and the potentially fatal consequences of a single misstep. As in all his films, Keaton's dedication to the medium is instantly apparent, with his character completing a wide assortment of hair-raising stunts, including jumping from the engine to a tender to a boxcar, sitting on the cow-catcher of the slow moving train while holding a railroad tie, and running along the roof. The final climactic crash of the locomotive, in which a bridge crumbles as the Texas attempts to cross it, was the single most ambitious and expensive scene of the silent era.
The laughs come thick and fast, with Johnny persevering forwards despite any number of obstacles that may come his way. The film does slow down a bit during its centre portion, namely because there is temporarily not a train in sight, but, once Johnny manages to reclaim his General, things get exciting again. The second half of the film is a complete reversal of the first, with Johnny now at the helm of the locomotive being chased. Some absurdly-dangerous stunt work, and some high-speed railway thrills, makes this ride a highly entertaining one.
'The General' is currently sitting in the public domain. This is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it allows practically anybody to access a copy of the film, whether it be on DVD or the internet, increasing public awareness of Keaton's films and perhaps even inspiring an interest in the silent classics that are too often neglected. On the other hand, being in the public demand means that any distributor can digitize a poor-quality print and sell it as 'The General' to make a few quick dollars. The version I uncovered was decent enough, but the soundtrack was a rather random assortment of classical music, which was passable but not ideal. Needless to say, if I were to ever encounter a high-quality print of the film, I would have absolutely no hesitation in purchasing it.