The General

“Buster drives "The General" to trainload of laughter.”

7.9

1926

1h 19m

ActionAdventureComedyWarRomance

Director: Clyde Bruckman

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.

Trailer

The General (1926) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

Cast

Johnnie Gray

Buster Keaton

Johnnie Gray

Annabelle Lee

Marion Mack

Annabelle Lee

Captain Anderson

Glen Cavender

Captain Anderson

General Thatcher

Jim Farley

General Thatcher

A Southern General

Frederick Vroom

A Southern General

Annabelle's Brother

Frank Barnes

Annabelle's Brother

Annabelle's Father

Charles Henry Smith

Annabelle's Father

Union General

Joe Keaton

Union General

Mike Donlin

Union General

Tom Nawn

Union General

Soldier (uncredited)

Henry Baird

Soldier (uncredited)

Joe Bricher

Soldier (uncredited)

Reviews

Andres Gomez

Just amazing. Really, really impressive scenes with the railway engines and a physically incredible Keaton.

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CinemaSerf

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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James

This is Keaton’s masterpiece, a flawed one, yes. It’s not funny enough and the story could be developed more. But it is significant, flaws and all. The closest a film will ever get to flawed perfection.

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