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The General
From Joseph M. Schenck Productions · Buster Keaton Productions
Buster drives "The General" to trainload of laughter.
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Not available to stream in US
🔔 Notify me when it’s streamingSynopsis
During America’s Civil War, Union spies steal engineer Johnnie Gray's beloved locomotive, 'The General'—with Johnnie's lady love aboard an attached boxcar—and he single-handedly must do all in his power to both get The General back and to rescue Annabelle.
Themes
Cast & crew
Directed by Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton
Buster KeatonJohnnie Gray
Marion MackAnnabelle Lee
Glen CavenderCaptain Anderson
Jim FarleyGeneral Thatcher
Frederick VroomA Southern GeneralFrank BarnesAnnabelle's BrotherCharles Henry SmithAnnabelle's Father
Joe KeatonUnion General
Mike DonlinUnion GeneralTom NawnUnion GeneralHenry BairdSoldier (uncredited)Joe BricherSoldier (uncredited)Videos
Trailers
Featurettes
Images · 14
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Reviews · from TMDB members
Andres GomezFeb 26, 2016
Just amazing. Really, really impressive scenes with the railway engines and a physically incredible Keaton.
CinemaSerfJun 6, 2022
There's quite a lot going on here - it is certainly comedic, but there is also plenty of action and even some romance in this American Civil War story. Keaton ("Johnnie") has been deemed more important as a railroad engineer so was rejected as a soldier - but this causes his girlfriend "Annabelle" and her family to think he is yella'! When the Yankees concoct a plan to steal his engine "The General" whilst she is travelling on it; he must use all his wits and guile to get the… Read more
m both back and is soon caught being enemy lines where he learns of their dastardly plan to attack. Can he get back with his gal and tell his confederates of the Unionist plans? There is something about the quality of the images - they are pretty much prefect; even when the train in rattling along a-pace. There are loads of skirmishes supporting a properly constructed, and exciting, story with plenty of drama and sometimes some quite scary bits too, all jammed into just over an hour. The version I saw had been re-scored by Carl Davis and that added immeasurably to the pace and tension - and the romance - and helped create a superb piece of cinema.
JamesOct 28, 2023
This is Keaton’s masterpiece, a flawed one, yes. It’s not funny enough and the story could be developed more. But it is significant, flaws and all. The closest a film will ever get to flawed perfection.