Kat's Film Reviews: The General

Sunday, June 12, 2005

The General

I've seen a few of Buster Keaton's films, and while a couple of them are favorites (especially The Navigator), most of them have such extraordinarily boring parts that I've fallen asleep watching them on DVD. And there lies the crux of the problem. Silent movies are not meant to be watched on DVD -- they're meant to have the full force of a live orchestra or organ scoring the plot for you. And what a difference this can make if you have the right silent movie and the right accompanist. I was lucky enough to see this film in our restored 1920s downtown movie house accompanied by one of our most renowned silent film organists. I'd heard this was one of Keaton's best films, but I'd heard that about most of his films. How happy I am to have been proved wrong. Based on a true story from the Civil War, a hapless, unlucky-in-love train engineer has his engine stolen from him by the Northerners and races across the Southland trying to get it back. Of course, he's using borrowed engines, as well as other conveyances, to do this and if you know anything about Keaton's magic, you can guess what kinds of stunts you'll see. Except that you'll be wrong; they'll be better than what you guess. I've never seen a stunt like Keaton pulls off to remove two logs from across the tracks as his train is approaching them. It has to be seen to be believed. This film cost a fortune in its day, using multiple trains, often filmed together on the same track and/or being destroyed. In that respect, it's similar to the best special effects created today, except that these are all real, there are no stuntmen, and they're unbelievably dangerous. I have to admire every actor Keaton hired, especially the woman playing his sweetheart, who of course is abducted by the bad guys (read: Northerners) and ends up "helping" Keaton. Along with gasps of disbelief and cheers when a stunt is enacted beautifully, you'll be laughing till your sides aches at Keaton and his screen love's interactions. I want very much to own this film on DVD, but I know the small screen and (usually) bogus accompaniment won't do my memory justice. I'll just have to hope the theater runs it again soon. I'll be there, right in the first row.

year: 1927
length: 116 min.
rating: 4.0
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017925/combined

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