Quick Movie Review: The General (1927)

The General (1927)


Bottomline: Brilliant

Where Can I See It? I saw it as part of a special series on Turner Classic Movies. But it is avaialble for rent on DVD.

QMR Opinion:
I can count on one hand the number of silent films I’ve seen from start to finish. Here we go. . .ready? 1. That’s it. I’ve watched clips of silent films my whole life. Harold Lloyd. Charlie Chaplin. Buster Keaton. Lillian Gish. Mary Pickford. Rudolph Valentino. Keaton’s masterpiece, The General, is the first silent film I’ve watched from beginning to end. I can assure you it will not be the last. Keaton directed this film and stars in it. The physicality of the stunts and the nuance of the comedy are keys to the success of this film. In addition, the composition of the movie is simply brilliant. You have to remember that while there are some camera tricks here and there, there is no CG. It’s just straight-forward filmmaking. The film is set during the Civil War with Keaton playing the role of train engineer Johnnie Gray. His train is stolen by union forces, and the young lady that Keaton is in love with also gets caught up in the action. In effect, it turns into a classic chase movie with two steam locomotives as the vehicles.You have to see this film to believe it.