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The General

Play trailer 1:43 Poster for The General Released Feb 5, 1927 1h 23m Comedy Action Adventure Drama War Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 63 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
One of the most revered comedies of the silent era, this film finds hapless Southern railroad engineer Johnny Gray (Buster Keaton) facing off against Union soldiers during the American Civil War. When Johnny's fiancée, Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack), is accidentally taken away while on a train stolen by Northern forces, Gray pursues the soldiers, using various modes of transportation in comic action scenes that highlight Keaton's boundless wit and dexterity.
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The General

The General

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Critics Consensus

Brilliantly filmed and fueled with classic physical comedy, The General captures Buster Keaton at his timeless best.

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Critics Reviews

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Adam Kempenaar Filmspotting The Mad Max: Fury Road of its day. Rated: 4.5/5 May 27, 2022 Full Review Kate Muir Times (UK) In these times when all risk is assumed by CGI effects, Keaton's squealing funny, exquisitely timed, death-defying leaps are all the more breathtaking. Rated: 5/5 Sep 23, 2014 Full Review Tim Robey Daily Telegraph (UK) The film boasts the most sustained passages of virtuoso slapstick genius Keaton ever shot, and an unflagging momentum that lets it get away with being a reel longer than most of his best-known pictures. Rated: 5/5 Jan 23, 2014 Full Review Tom Hutchinson Radio Times Keaton's genius lay not just in the nuts and bolts of invention, but in the creation of an endearing character. Rated: 5/5 Jul 22, 2024 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand ... a masterpiece, one of the finest silent films ever made and one of the great film comedies of all time. Apr 8, 2023 Full Review Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm It’s hard to imagine Buster Keaton without trains. Rated: 3.5/4 May 13, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alexsander F Que filme lindo! Muito divertido, dos tempos románticos do cinema mundial, tempos esses que nunca vão voltar. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/10/25 Full Review Ronnie M I came here for the over-the-budget train scene that put a damper in Buster Keatons career. Love this movie. The stunts looked very dangerous Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/25/24 Full Review Brennan W Im not the biggest fan of silent films. Especially ones that come out a hundred years ago. This film however was a good not great time and I still very much enjoyed myself while watching it. Overall the characters in the film do what they are supposed to to keep the film moving but at the same time, I found myself caring for them and wanting them to succeed. The film also gets into some serious material that has a lot of effects on the people watching it. It speaks a lot about the roles of people and the film industry and I found that to be very interesting. Overall I did enjoy this film and for a silent film that came out a hundred years ago it was something I had a good time watching. I would recommend this to some people because someone like my friends who aren't crazy into films wouldn't enjoy this. However I could see me film friends really getting something out of this. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 12/20/24 Full Review Javier M I have always not been too fond of silent films, I am not its biggest fanatic, particularly due to how boring they might be at times. Though this is clearly an exception, The General is not only an exception, it is an engaging film that can have you on the edge of your seat. I really njoyed this work from Buster Keaton, it is extremely thrilling, especially the train chase sequences. It is also filled with such great stunts, Keaton really put himself through a lot to get this done and some specific shots done, but it pays off well as they are the highlight of the film. These stunts make the film even more of an edge of your seat type of watch. I really do enjoy just how much Keaton perfectly blends humor with thrilling moments in such a perfect way, they fit here, Keaton’s character is at many times, involved in comedic sequences and also in ones filled with suspense. You just want to root for Keaton’s character especially after what happens to him at the beginning, he’s not accepted to enroll due to being deemed as too valuable for his work, though others think he’s a failure and didn’t want to enroll. Obviously, at the end, he earns the right to join after having gone through so much, he also proves himself to be valuable as he informs the generals of incoming attacks he spotted. Overall, this is a stand out of the silent film era, its approach to stunts, thrilling sequences have a very modern feel to it, the train sequence in particular is one to remember. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 12/20/24 Full Review Eliza B The General is surprisingly engaging and ahead of its time especially considering that the film was made in 1926. The pacing is similar to a modern action movie and is packed full of incredible and comedic stunts. It is amazing and somewhat terrifying that Keaton does his own stunts, especially due to the fact that there were far less safety precautions in the past. Considering the film had to be shot on film, there are many shots that are absolutely breathtaking and some scenes that were so masterfully captured it is hard to believe the film came out so long ago. It definitely has had a significant impact on many action movies, the train chase remains somewhat of a cliche in cinema. While some may say that the setting and political aspects of the film are beside the point, it is important to note that Keaton chose to portray a Confederate soldier as his protagonist, and while that is kind of unimportant to the actual plot, he could have chosen any other uniform to wear and any other soldier to portray. While this fact doesn't take away from the skill that went into the creation of the film, it does subtly glorify the Confederacy. It is based on true events but I think there could have been a way to adjust the story so that the heroes were not Confederate soldiers. It is a product of its time and is an example of the excellent films that resulted from the Silent Film era. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/19/24 Full Review Julian Rex M Its unconventional protagonist's political leaning may not be to everyone's taste, but The General is a well-written comedy that sports incredible visuals and a typically outstanding performance from Buster Keaton. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/07/24 Full Review Read all reviews
The General

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Movie Info

Synopsis One of the most revered comedies of the silent era, this film finds hapless Southern railroad engineer Johnny Gray (Buster Keaton) facing off against Union soldiers during the American Civil War. When Johnny's fiancée, Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack), is accidentally taken away while on a train stolen by Northern forces, Gray pursues the soldiers, using various modes of transportation in comic action scenes that highlight Keaton's boundless wit and dexterity.
Director
Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton
Producer
Buster Keaton, Joseph M. Schenck
Screenwriter
Clyde Bruckman, Al Boasberg, Buster Keaton, William Pittenger, Charles Smith, Paul Smith
Distributor
Image Entertainment Inc., Radio Films S.A.E.S.A. [es], Cineteca S.A., Madacy Entertainment Group Inc. [us], Andrés Vicente Gómez Montero [es], Reel Media International [us], United Artists, Kino Video, Thames Video Collection, Republic Pictures, Aikman Video, LS Video
Production Co
United Artists, Buster Keaton Productions Inc. [us]
Genre
Comedy, Action, Adventure, Drama, War
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 5, 1927, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2016
Runtime
1h 23m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.37:1)
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