The General (1926)

The General is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by and starring Buster Keaton, co-directed by Clyde Bruckman, and produced by Joseph M. Schenck for Buster Keaton Productions.

Set during the American Civil War, the film follows Johnnie Gray, a Confederate railway engineer whose beloved locomotive — named The General — is stolen by Union spies. Johnnie pursues the stolen train deep into enemy territory, eventually recapturing it and rescuing his girlfriend Annabelle Lee. Based on the true story of the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862, the film is now consistently ranked among the greatest films ever made.

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Video source: Internet Archive — TheGeneral1926 · Public domain

Chapters

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1. 00:00 The General is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by and starring Buster Keaton, co-directed by Clyde Bruckman, and produced by Joseph M. Schenck for Buster Keaton Productions.
2. 00:25 The film is set during the American Civil War and follows Johnnie Gray, a Confederate railway engineer whose locomotive — named The General — is stolen by Union spies.
3. 00:55 Johnnie pursues the stolen train deep into Union territory on foot, by bicycle, and on another locomotive, in a bid to recapture The General and rescue his girlfriend Annabelle Lee.
4. 01:30 Based on the true story of the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862, the film is celebrated for its breathtaking practical stunt work, all performed by Keaton himself without the use of doubles.
5. 02:10 A climactic scene in which a locomotive plunges from a burning bridge into a river gorge remains the most expensive single shot in silent film history.
6. 02:55 Johnnie outsmarts the Union forces, recaptures The General, and returns south with Annabelle and intelligence about the enemy's planned advance.
7. 03:40 The Confederate army launches a counterattack, and Johnnie's bravery during the battle earns him a commission as an officer — and Annabelle's hand.
8. 04:30 Dismissed on initial release as too serious for a comedy, The General is now consistently ranked among the greatest films ever made and a pinnacle of silent cinema.

Copyright status

The General was first released on 31 December 1926. Under United States copyright law, all works published before 1 January 1928 are in the public domain. This film may be freely watched, downloaded, copied, modified, and redistributed without restriction or payment.

References

1. Knopf, Robert (2002). The Theater and Cinema of Buster Keaton. Princeton University Press.
2. Meade, Marion (1995). Buster Keaton: Cut to the Chase. HarperCollins.
3. Pittenger, William (1863). Daring and Suffering: A History of the Great Railroad Adventure. J. B. Lippincott.
4. Internet Archive. “The General (1926)”. archive.org/details/TheGeneral1926.