The General (1927)

Directors:

Clyde Bruckman
Buster Keaton

Writers:

Al Boasberg (adaptation)
Clyde Bruckman (writer)

Release Date:

5 February 1927 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | War | Action

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.

Plot Keywords:

Admired By Child | Public Domain | Actor Performing Own Stunts | Ingenue | Bear Trap

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Marion Mack	...	Annabelle Lee
Glen Cavender	...	Union Capt. Anderson (chief spy)
Jim Farley	...	Gen. Thatcher (US Army)
Frederick Vroom	...	Confederate general
Charles Henry Smith	...	Mr. Lee (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

Runtime:

75 min | Australia:107 min | Spain:80 min (1982 version) | Spain:83 min (1962 version)

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

South Korea:All (2002) | Portugal:M/6 (DVD rating) | UK:U | 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:

Cottage Grove, Oregon, USA

Company:

Buster Keaton Productions

Trivia:

500 Oregon National Guardsmen play the 2 armies.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Johnny is chopping wood on the train, the piece of wood changes size between the different shots.

Quotes:

Johnnie Gray: [to the recruiter who rejects him] If you lose this war don't blame me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Secret Missions of the Civil War (2005) (TV)

The Greatest Comedy Ever Made

THE GENERAL represents the greatest achievement screen comedy ever accomplished. From the brilliant gag construction to the sheer excellence of the filmmaking technique, THE GENERAL is a hilarious and amazing journey into comedy. Written and directed by Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman, Keaton brings brilliant gags into the story. The film begins when Keaton is told he is of no use to the South as a soldier, but as a train engineer. However, his girlfriend refuses to talk to him until he is in uniform. After the war has started, the girl is kidnapped by some Union raiders on Keaton's train, and so begins the greatest (and funniest) chase ever filmed. For the next 75 minutes, the viewer is in Keaton's world. His gags, routines and amazing slapstick serve to make this the greatest screen comedy ever filmed.

-Matt, age 16