The General

1926.
Unranked / #18

Johnny Gray (Buster Keaton) pursues Union spies who have stolen his train and kidnapped his lady.

Eddie: I've never been a huge Buster Keaton fan, having always been partial to Charlie Chaplin. However, I thoroughly enjoyed THE GENERAL (and Keaton's performance, in particular) despite the flick's numerous flaws.

1. It seems odd to make a comedy about the Civil War, specifically about the Confederacy. There's one sequence where Johnny's life is unwittingly spared because he keeps dodging bullets without realizing it. But at the same time, the soldiers around him are getting shot. It feels like a comedy gag, but it ends up just making you feel terrible.
2. The middle of the movie feels very long. Low-speed train chases aren't as fast and furious as you might expect.

Also, I don't think that THE GENERAL is necessarily Keaton's best film. I've seen only one other - STEAMBOAT BILL, JR. - and I have to admit that I preferred that one. All that being said, I really did enjoy THE GENERAL. Keaton is stoic and hilarious, and his stunt-work is top-notch.

Sarah: Give me any story set in the antebellum South, and you have my attention. This film was fun and charming. Keaton's deadpan is hilarious, and he does quite a number of impressive stunts. My one big problem with the film was the love story.

Keaton and his lady break up when he fails to enlist for the confederacy. I felt bad for Keaton at first, but soon, I felt bad for his lady. He was constantly rough with her, but not in a comic way, in a violent way. Find a new beau, girl! I was not rooting for either of them.

I have not seen enough Keaton to know if this is his quintessential film. Does it deserve it's place on the list? Probably not, but it'll keep you amused.

Why You Should See It: At the climactic point in the movie, a train tries to cross a burning bridge, only to fall into the river below. We watched it twice.