The General

Just amazing.

Really, really impressive scenes with the railway engines and a physically incredible Keaton.

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 them 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...

This is Keatons masterpiece, a flawed one, yes. Its 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.