Moviola > Films > The General

The General   (U)   75 mins

Train engineer Johnny Gray (Buster Keaton) is turned down when he tries to enlist in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War as his occupation is deemed too important.  When his train, The General, is stolen by Union soldiers so that it can be used to attack Confederate forces, only Johnny and his girl Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack) can save the train and warn the Confederates about an impending attack.

"Buster Keaton's best, and arguably the greatest screen comedy ever made.  Against a meticulously evoked Civil War background, Buster risks life, limb, and love as he pursues his beloved railway engine, hijacked by Northern spies up to no good for the Southern cause.  The result is everything one could wish for: witty, dramatic, visually stunning, full of subtle, delightful human insights, and constantly hilarious."  Time Out

The film will be shown with a live piano accompaniment by the hugely talented Stephen Horne.

No official website, but look it up on www.imdb.com .

Last modified: 08-Mar-2009

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