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Plot:
Johnnie loves two things: his train and the lovely Annabelle Lee. When the Civil War breaks out he enlists as a soldier, but it is decided that he is too valuable as an engineer. Annabelle thinks it i...( read more 
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Recent Reviews
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MCT:July 8, 2008This is essentially Keaton doing a chase film, probably the most inventive I've seen. The film ends in a war scene impressive in scope. There is generally more suspense and action than comedy.
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MCT:June 24, 2008
Keeps the suspense and humor rolling!! Set during the Civil War with the protagonists being from the South. At first Keaton is chasing Northern spies, trying to prevent them from returning to the North with his train. Then he's trying to flee back to the South with news of the approaching Northerners. All the while, trying to show his loyalty to Dixie and win the heart of Annabelle Lee.
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MCT:May 17, 2008
C'est encore trop tôt pour l'affirmer, mais je me risque à le faire quand même: Keaton est probablement bien plus talentueux que ne l'est Chaplin.
Certes, Chaplin a un joli jeu de jambes et le maquillage rigolo de son visage égaye nos soirées maussades, mais Keaton, pour sa part, manie le corps humain comme personne ne le fait, il se fond dans son entourage et ne fait plus qu'un avec les objets de ses films. The General en est d'ailleurs un sublime exemple, dans la mesure où les prouesses de Keaton nous tiennent éveillés sur notre siège, s'inquiétant autant pour le personnage que pour l'acteur qui tient à risquer sa peau pour nous offrir un film de grande qualité.
Il s'agit là d'un film amusant, touchant et risqué qui, bien qu'il endorme Sweet, parvient à fasciner les âmes, à un point tel qu'il s'agit là du tout premier film muet qui parvient à se frayer une place, si minime soit-elle, dans mon top 100 de tous les temps.
Ne me reste plus qu'à parcourir les berges de la bibliographie de Keaton et de, ma foi je l'espère, la savourer à grandes bouchées de contrepèteries. -
MCT:May 8, 2008When Union spies steal a locomotive, engineer Johnny (Buster Keaton) must recover the stolen train singlehandedly. Despite the presence of Keaton and a few pratfalls, it's an adventure, not a comedy. The stunts are impressive but the movie doesn't transcend its time, and is mainly of historical interest.
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MCT:May 4, 2008
Buster Keaton used to scare me. Really. That stone face is kinda creepy. So I'm usually a fan of the childlike Charlie Chaplin. I watched "The General" for a film class, and fell absolutely in love with it! I have such appreciation for the completely different comedies of Keaton and Chaplin. My favorite silent so far.
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MCT:April 30, 2008
"If you lose this war don't blame me."
The 1920s was the era for old black and white movie comedies. This era was ruled by three factions: Charlie Chaplin, The Marx Brothers and Buster Keaton. The General is a very short (75-minute) but classic silent film from Keaton.
Back in the days when these films were released it was pivotal to include a bunch of fantastically hilarious sight gags to keep the audience entertained for the film's duration. Because silent movies are images being shown to simple piano music these sight gags were a necessity. Up until I finally watched this movie I would never have known how side-splitting the humour of 1920's slapstick truly is. As much as I love watching Charlie Chaplin's old movies, Keaton is also a guru when it comes to his art of being an acrobatic comedian.
The General was not a success when it was first released, but over the years the film now regularly appears on lists of the greatest movies ever made. The plot is really quite straightforward: Johnnie Gray (Keaton) is a Southern train engineer at the start of the Civil War. Johnnie is encouraged to enlist by his girl Annabelle (Mack) who believes it is an honourable and courageous thing to join the army.
But Johnnie is rejected when trying to enlist. Unbeknownst to him, it's because the enlisting office believes he will be more useful as an engineer as opposed to a soldier. Annabelle doesn't believe Johnnie's story, instead thinking that he's a coward who refuses to enlist. Unless Johnnie is wearing a uniform, Annabelle will not allow him to speak. Meanwhile a group of Union spies decide to steal a locomotive. Predictably, they choose the locomotive belonging to Johnnie. And in the process of stealing it they also unintentionally kidnap Annabelle. Now it's up to Johnnie to save both of his loves - his girl and his locomotive.
The General is beautifully constructed. For such an old production I would never have expected to see such scope and scale. Some of the battles (non-violent, of course) feature a whole heap of extras as well as some extensive sets. It's obvious that the film was made with a lot of love. The stunts were executed remarkably. There are countless occasions when I found myself laughing or cheering when Keaton performed a highly amusing acrobatic stunt. The stunt gags get better quality as the film moves along. The final train chase was both highly entertaining as well as being frequently hilarious.
And in those days what you see is what you get; some of the stunts were performed without any insurance on hand or many safety precautions. Everything looks real and this is what makes the film so special. We will never see shots like these filmed during present day without the aid of digital effects. A tragedy and a fact.
Surprisingly, The General is one of the most accurate portrayals of the Civil War. Every detail is meticulously designed; props, costumes, sets, etc. Top marks for precision, Mr. Keaton!!
The General is probably Buster Keaton's most famous production. The film is a total riot from start to finish. It's hilarious and it carries a high sense of excitement. The fantastic music was another asset that made the film a lot more exhilarating. The film is very deserving of all he accolades it received, and then some. One of the best silent movie comedies made to date! -
MCT:April 24, 2008I didn't like this as well as some of his other movies. The stunts and jokes were fewer and further between.
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MCT:April 13, 2008
I really wanted to love this movie, but it just didn't work out. The best part about the movie were all the stunts throughout; they were done marvelously. Overall a classic, that isn't the best but is still very good.
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MCT:March 16, 2008
My favorite movie from my favorite Silent film Comedian. Everything about this movie is absolutely perfect, right down to Buster's hair. I'm still amazed at some of the shit he does without any type of special effects or anything. The more movies of his you watch, the more shocked you are he managed to survive doing the crazy stunts he did.
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MCT:March 6, 2008
In my opinion the greatest silent film ever made and one of those films that never looses it's touch.It may not be Keaton's funniest film but it is his greatest in terms of filmmaking because it's not just a comedy but also what Orson Welles called the greatest movie about the civil war ever made.In fact it's one of the only comedies on an almost epic scale(in fact the film contains the single most expensive shot in all silent films). In Keaton's day he was always in Chaplin's shadow but today it's evident that his work easily on par if not superior to Chaplin.It would just be nice if flixster had a different poster this one is a little scary.
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MCT:January 20, 2008
Buster Keaton's masterpiece is a remarkable film where you can not believe your own eyes. How did he do what he did? The way he uses trains like toys is eye-popping. Yet, he never loses sight of the central love story. Genius!
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MCT:November 21, 2007
Some of the most amazing choreography I've ever seen. It takes nothing less than genius to create something as graceful as a dance between three locomotives.
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MCT:November 8, 2007
Oh man, this movie is hilarious! I loved it. Buster Keaton is just amazing. That's all there is to it.
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MCT:October 10, 2007
lol. This movie really was "laugh out loud". Not only was it funny, but it could also be taken seriously as well. SO great. lol.
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MCT:September 23, 2007
As motion pictures go, here is one that is first-rate and so worthy of its acclaim. Despite that not a word of dialogue can be heard in this silent-era masterpiece, "The General" is a veritable bounty of physical comedy and thrilling action sequences. For a film made so long ago, it registers as no less amazing today while one beholds all of the visual set-ups that Keaton and his crew were able to pull off. All of the action involving the locomotives is a spectacle that should command just about any audience?s attention. Boring is one thing this movie isn't -- not even for a second. Thrown in for good measure is a story about an underestimated figure who discovers himself capable of much more in the way of valor than what the people he encounters would ever care to concede. Sure, he wants to impress the girl, but he seems to care foremost about doing the right thing. Keaton often earns kudos as an actor and director, but how can one not also appreciate his talents as a stunt-man? How many Hollywood stars in subsequent eras would think of attempting some of the ostensibly high-risk stunts he executes in this movie, many of which take place atop a moving locomotive? Movies are entertainment and this film is destined to fascinate and impress viewers for decades ahead.
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MCT:September 2, 2007
candidate for most inspirational movie ever. but of course oliver stone already gave that to the rollerblade 7. this is so much better than any contemporary "action movie". see it.
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MCT:August 31, 2007
Some great moments of slapstick at its finest! Also, Buster Keaton's facial expression when he is confused is priceless.
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MCT:August 31, 2007
I can still occasionally meet people who don't know this film. Suffice to say it's not only side-splittingly funny, it's visually quite beautiful and technically dazzling for an 80 year-old black & white movie.
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MCT:August 12, 2007
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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MCT:July 30, 2007
There's love, locomotives and laughs in this great silent comedy set during the American Civil War starring, co-written by and directed by the inimitable Buster Keaton.
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MCT:June 23, 2007
Buster Keaton was a ground-breaker, in the beginnings of cinematic comedies. It's probable that he never did BETTER, than this .. although he was great in many roles.
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MCT:June 4, 2007
Buster Keaton was well before his time. His comedic genius lives! And I think Keaton owns over Chaplin.
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