IMDb > The General (1926)
The General
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The General (1926) More at IMDbPro »

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The General (1926) -- When Union spies steal an engineer's beloved locomotive, he pursues it single handedly and straight through enemy lines.
The General (1926) -- When Union spies steal an engineer's beloved locomotive, he pursues it single handedly and straight through enemy lines.

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Overview

User Rating:
8.4/10   18,351 votes
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Down 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Buster Keaton (written by) and
Clyde Bruckman (written by) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for The General on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
5 February 1927 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Love, Locomotives and Laughs
Plot:
When Union spies steal an engineer's beloved locomotive, he pursues it single handedly and straight through enemy lines. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
1 win more
NewsDesk:
(12 articles)
Tc Kids Club: Birthday Boy
 (From Tribeca Film. 19 January 2010, 2:00 AM, PST)

The General
 (From PasteMagazine. 15 December 2009, 8:00 AM, PST)

User Reviews:
Amazing.... more (147 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
Marion Mack ... Annabelle Lee
Glen Cavender ... Captain Anderson
Jim Farley ... General Thatcher
Frederick Vroom ... A Southern General
Charles Henry Smith ... Annabelle's Father (as Charles Smith)
Frank Barnes ... Annabelle's Brother
Joe Keaton ... Union General
Mike Donlin ... Union General
Tom Nawn ... Union General

Buster Keaton ... Johnny Gray
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Additional Details

Runtime:
Australia:107 min | Spain:80 min (1982 version) | Spain:83 min (1962 version) | USA:75 min (2003 alternate version)
Country:
Color:
Black and White (Sepiatone)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Portugal:M/6 (DVD rating) | UK:U | South Korea:All (2002) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Australia:G | Norway:7 (original rating) | Norway:A (re-rating) (2004) | Portugal:17 (director's cut) | Sweden:Btl | USA:Unrated | West Germany:6 | Finland:S
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked this as the #18 Greatest Movie of All Time. It was the first inclusion of this film on the list. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Johnny's and Annabelle's clothes are dry, neat, and clean the morning after camping outside without shelter during the thunderstorm more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Annabelle's brother: Fort Sumter has been fired upon.
Mr. Lee: Then the war is here.
Annabelle's brother: Yes, dad, and I'm going to be one of the first to enlist.
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Movie Connections:

FAQ

Why do distributors add music to silent films?
Why is the music so bad?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
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39 out of 44 people found the following review useful.
Amazing...., 11 August 2004
10/10
Author: hoserhound from Washington State, USA

There aren't too many words to describe this film other than "amazing." I am embarrassed to admit that I am 23 and this is the first time I've seen this film, however now that I have I will be certain to go out and purchase any Buster Keaton film I can get my hands on. I was lucky enough to find this film packaged along with Steamboat Bill Jr. and two Charlie Chaplin films (The Kid and Tillie's Punctured Romance) at my local Wal-Mart for a measly $5.50 and decided to give it a try. Heck, a dollar can't even buy a popsicle now-a-days, but can purchase one of the greatest comedies I've ever seen. Go figure.

I won't bother you with a detailed plot, all you really need to know is what is expressed in the opening scenes, that this man loves only two things in life, his General (the train) and his woman (who is not very likeable but still drives Buster throughout the film.) When both are taken away from him he has nothing to do but to retrieve them at any cost which begins his amazing journey.

The plot alone is entertaining, however the obvious draw of the film is Buster Keaton's amazing stunts, including the famous (and dangerous) scenes of him riding in front of a moving train while attempting to dislodge large wooden planks that are blocking the tracks in front of him. However, the entire film is one large stunt, as he jumps back and forth from carts on the moving train as if it is no big deal (today a stunt double would certainly be used, and likely a blue screen as well). The best joke, which I don't want to give away, is another great stunt as he attempts to catch up with the runaway train as he is being chased by soldiers.

My only negative comment towards the film is the soundtrack. My copy was not digitally remastered (that's what you get for $1 a movie) and released by a company called "Quality" Special Products, so I cannot speak for any newer copies, but the soundtrack for this film was the worst I had ever heard in my life. Having seen a few dozen silent films in my life (with the best being The Passion of Joan of Arc) I learned quickly that I could better enjoy the film by hitting the "mute" button and I would recommend that to you as well. I wouldn't be surprised at all if many younger people are immediately turned off by the annoyingly repetitive soundtrack.

Well, when the only thing you can say negatively about a film is the soundtrack, you can trust that the film itself is great if not the greatest silent comedy of all time. Another commenter said that this comedy is much better than those which came in the talking pictures period, and while I don't agree with that (The Thin Man series are some of the greatest "dialogue comedies") I would certainly not call the man a liar.

Buster Keaton is a genius. I hope every parent forces their child to watch at least one of his amazing films before his legacy slips away and kids begin to think that Jackie Chan is the greatest "stunt actor" in the history of film. Films like Rush Hour have nothing on "The General".

10/10

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Your Top ten favorite silent films Brawlski
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DVD advice Chrissie
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