The General (1926) Review
By: T.J. “If you lose this war don’t blame me” Mulligan
It’s quite amazing when one thinks about just how long the motion picture industry has been around. To put it into some perspective most people alive today have never seen a film released without spoken dialogue (unless it was done for artistic or budgetary reasons). What once was adamantly thought of as the only true form of filmmaking now seems almost more difficult in this far more technologically sophisticated age. Imagine trying to tell someone an entire story that they have never heard before using only pantomime and a few written sentences. It just seems like such an unnecessary hassle. That was, however, the job of artists such as Buster Keaton, co-writer and director and star of 1926’s The General.
The General is the story of Johnnie Gray (Keaton), a train engineer living and operating out of Georgia during the Civil War. He has two loves in his life: his train and his girl, Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack). When word hits the town of Marietta that the war is heading their way, Annabelle’s father and brother don’t hesitate to join the efforts of the Confederacy. Taken by their bravery and wishing to see the same in her man, Annabelle convinces Johnnie to try and enlist. Try as he might, however, the army will not take him as he is simply too vital to the war efforts as an engineer. Upon leaving the recruitment station he is spotted by Annabelle’s father and brother who are convinced Johnnie walked away on his own accord. After her father informs her of their discovery, Annabelle tells Johnnie not to speak to her again until he is in uniform. Some time later, the Union army, as part of a more elaborate plot, hijack Johnnie’s train, the General, with Annabelle unknowingly on board. This begins Johnnie’s quest, through various means, to catch up to the train and thwart the Union’s plot to significantly cripple the South.
The whole of the movie rests on Keaton’s shoulders and he flat-out delivers in this. The man spends most of the movie running up and down the length of a train as it heads down the tracks, hurdling obstacles on board and keeping the locomotive operational among other feats. Keaton’s performance resembles work more along the lines of a stuntman or an acrobat. Not only do these actions heighten the action of the film but also the comedy. Keaton utilizes his athletic abilities in attempting to throw large planks of wood around, riding on the cow-catcher to clear the way ahead of his train and even when just sitting on a coupling rod as the train begins to move, always to great comedic effect.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect in watching this film is how much the camera is forced to move and the fact that it never compromises the images onscreen. Now, granted, there are no sweeping zooms or Michael Bay-like 360 degree camera movements, but for the time in which it was made, having the camera simply move right along with an also-moving train is quite impressive. For a film that could have been pulled off fundamentally in front of a cheesy moving background screen or something to that affect, the work of the camera and of Keaton himself is made all the more impressive.
In spite of years of technological advancements in the field of movie making, The General still maintains a charm and flair that makes it entertaining even now. It also serves as a lesson in cinematic history, showing that just because a film is silent doesn’t mean it can’t resonate.
I give The General 3 triumphs of the Confederacy out of 5.
