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.

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 25% 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:
(6 articles)
New On DVD This Week
 (From The Flickcast. 10 November 2009, 4:15 PM, PST)

This Week In DVD: November 10th
 (From FilmSchoolRejects. 10 November 2009, 8:08 AM, PST)

User Comments:
The only silent to ever make me really laugh out loud. more (131 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 the scene where Johnnie and Annabelle refill the water reservoir of the train, Marion Mack said in an interview many years later that she had no idea that she was supposed to get drenched. Buster Keaton had not told her what was supposed to happen, so the shock you see is genuine. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Johnny is chopping wood on the train, the piece of wood changes size between the different shots. 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.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Popcorn of Doom (2003) (V) more

FAQ

Why don't they make movies like this any more?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
Why do distributors add music to silent films?
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9 out of 14 people found the following comment useful.
The only silent to ever make me really laugh out loud., 9 August 2000
Author: lartronic from Akron, Ohio

Buster Keaton is simply awesome, only he could pull off a film like this. Everything about it was superb, while his other films made me laugh, this is the only silent to make me laugh so hard my sides hurt. And it never gets tiresome, no matter how many times you watch it, making it a great cinema experience.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The General (1926)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
DVD advice Chrissie
Your Top ten favorite silent films Brawlski
Gah, it's really weird, but... Faction-Groovy
Did Lean get the idea for ending of 'Kwai' from ending of General baileysbox
When people say funny... elements888
Based on True story !? =S TheEnigmaticRonin
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