General, The, ranks among the masterpieces of silent motion-picture comedy. The film was released in 1927. It starred the great American silent film comedian Buster Keaton, who also directed the movie with Clyde Bruckman.
The General is based on a true story set during the American Civil War (1861-1865). A Northern spy steals a Southern locomotive, named “The General,” and heads for the North. In the film, Keaton plays Johnnie Gray, a young Southerner who volunteers to fight for the South but is rejected. He is the engineer of “The General” and pursues the locomotive as the spy takes it north. Johnnie retrieves the locomotive and drives it back to the South with Northern forces in hot pursuit.
The General is really a long chase film with Keaton’s engineer first the pursuer and then the pursued. The film has been acclaimed for its brilliantly constructed man-versus-machine visual humor and Keaton’s physical stunts. The comic scenes develop at a slower pace than the typical frantic comedies of the silent movie period, but the creativity of the scenes makes The General one of the funniest of all film comedies. The General is also successful as an exciting action film.
Keaton and the locomotive are the stars of the film. The only other major character is Marion Mack, who plays Johnnie’s helpless girlfriend.
See also Keaton, Buster .
