The General

Starring: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack
Directed by: Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Comedy, Romance, War
1927

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: After the start of the Civil War, Johnny Gray (Buster Keaton) tries to enlist in the Confederate Army. As a trained engineer, he is rejected as too valuable. This causes the love of his life (Marion Mack) to believe he is a coward, and want nothing to do with him. Later, when she is kidnapped by Union soldiers, Johnny hops aboard a locomotive and chases after her.

Review:

Tim: The General is not only a masterpiece, it is perhaps the greatest movie of the silent film era. Buster Keaton has created a hilarious, mesmerizing film that epitomizes the slapstick, gags, and deadpan humor that we often see in movies. Many have done it since, but I doubt anyone has done it as beautifully as Keaton. I loved this movie, and I could not take my eyes off Keaton every second he is on screen. This is one of the all time classics, and a terrific movie.

I feel badly that this film was not properly received by audiences. It was nominated for no awards, and was routinely criticized in the press. It is unfortunate, because this is one of the best films of all time, and Keaton wasn't properly acknowledged for his genius until years and years later. He was truly ahead of his time. Some of the aspects of this film that were criticized then are reasons I love it today. Making a comedy about the Civil War might have been risky then, but it is brilliant today. I love the chance Keaton took.

While there are so many aspects of this film that are strong, the success of this film really rests with Buster Keaton. He is amazing on screen. His comedic timing is perfect, and the elaborate gags and slapstick humor is unmatched. The first locomotive chase scene was one of the most engaged, remarkable sequences I have ever seen in my life. I was awed by Keaton's performance, the timing of every move he made, and the the sheer thought that went into planning every aspect of this film. From watching Keaton riding on the front of the train while removing roadblocks, to firing a cannonball into his own train, there are a dozen or so classic moments in this sequence. Plus, even better, Keaton's facial expressions and unbounded energy make every moment of his screen time impressive. I simply loved the effort he gave in this movie.

Keaton had a good co-star in Marion Mack. Mack had very good comedic timing as well, and I was thoroughly impressed with the rough treatment she received in this film. From being balanced on Keaton's shoulders on a moving train, to willingly being covered up in a giant sack, Mack must have left this film with quite a few bruises. Her performance is excellent, though, and I thought she had a good deal of chemistry with Keaton.

This film also has the distinction of having the single most expensive shot of the entire silent film era. This is the eye-popping train/bridge disaster near the end of the film. Without the use of any type of special effects, it is remarkable how amazing this shot looks on screen- and even more impressive when you realize this was completely real. The shot is truly an iconic one.

The General is a truly incredible, fascinating, and hilarious movie. It is easily among the greatest silent movies of all time, and deserves to be included in a discussion of the great comedies of all time. This is a classic movie, and one of my all time favorites.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 8.5



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