After being rejected by the Confederate military, not realizing it was due to his crucial civilian role, an engineer must single-handedly recapture his beloved locomotive after it is seized ... Read allAfter being rejected by the Confederate military, not realizing it was due to his crucial civilian role, an engineer must single-handedly recapture his beloved locomotive after it is seized by Union spies and return it through enemy lines.After being rejected by the Confederate military, not realizing it was due to his crucial civilian role, an engineer must single-handedly recapture his beloved locomotive after it is seized by Union spies and return it through enemy lines.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination
- Her Father
- (as Charles Smith)
- Soldier
- (uncredited)
- Soldier
- (uncredited)
- Raider
- (uncredited)
- Officer
- (uncredited)
- Officer
- (uncredited)
- Raider
- (uncredited)
- Soldier
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe first try at getting the cannonball to shoot out of the cannon into the cab caused the ball to shoot with too much force. To cause it to shoot into the cab of the engine correctly, Buster Keaton had to count out the grains of gunpowder with tweezers.
- GoofsAnnabelle gets drenched when she and Johnnie stop for water, but as they return to the engine, her dress is dry.
- Quotes
Johnnie Gray: [to the recruiter who rejects him] If you lose this war don't blame me.
- Crazy creditsAlthough Buster Keaton is the star of this film, he is listed last in the on-screen credits.
- Alternate versionsIn 2003, 'David H. Shepard' produced 75-minute video version with music by The Alloy Orchestra.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Golden Age of Buster Keaton (1979)
- SoundtracksThe General
Written by William P. Perry
If you haven't watched many silent films, they demand a greater amount of attention than `normal' film there are no audio cues; and volumes can be spoken with a simple facial expression. Buster Keaton is amazingly expressive, as he's fully capable of going from wildly happy to downtrodden and sad in the blink of an eye. While funny, Keaton is much more than just a clownish figure he manages to evoke a lot of sympathy as well, and he genuinely becomes what can only be described as an action hero as well. His timing, whether for a joke or for a tender moment, is absolutely impeccable.
What's also great about `The General' is the sheer amount of stunts and physical humor a movie like this couldn't be made today. No amount of insurance would cover it. Keaton does all his own stunts, and manages to perform a number of feats that are simultaneously hilarious and dangerous he chases down `The General' with a bike, he sits on a moving cattlecatcher, knocking away railroad ties with a tie of his own. All these stunts are fantastic, but it's scary to think that any one of these probably could've killed Keaton if something even went slightly wrong.
`The General' is a lot more than slapstick. Personally, I think it's one of the first films to push the envelope of movies it goes for action, romance, and humor, and it pulls all of those elements together into a terrific movie. If you've never seen Buster Keaton or, for that matter, a silent film go find this one and watch it. It's a classic. A+
- MadReviewer
- Apr 16, 2001
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $750,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $612
- Runtime1 hour 18 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1