The General (1927)

Before I get into this review, I'd like to clear up a few things. First, this is the first silent film I have ever watched. I'll try my best not to compare it to the talkies, but I really have nothing else to compare it to. Second, I watched it on YouTube, so... yeah. That kinda speaks for itself.

Buster Keaton plays Johnny Gray, a patriotic Confederate engineer during the Civil War who loves two things: his locomotive, The General, and his woman, Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack). When the Confederate Army comes to town looking for recruits, Johnny is first in line to sign up. Unfortunately, the Army thinks he's more valuable as an engineer than a soldier. Johnny's leaving the recruiting station is misinterpreted by Annabelle as an act of cowardice, so she tells Johnny that she won't speak to him again unless he's in uniform. One year later, Johnny is still an engineer, and he's still driving The General. By sheer coincidence, Annabelle Lee happens to be a passenger on his train. Without warning a band of Union spies hijack the General at a meal stop-with Annabelle trapped on board! Determined to rescue both of his loves, the heroic (yet bumbling) Johnny sets off after them, and the chase is on.

Buster Keaton's acting is definitely the highlight of the film. Truly earning his nickname "The Great Stone Face," Keaton's character finds himself thrust into one hair-raising situation after another, reacting only with stoic disbelief at every turn. Even more impressive is that Keaton performed all of his own stunts. While this might not seem like much at first, take time to consider that the entire film was shot on real, full-size trains, all of which were moving, and the danger suddenly becomes very real. That adds another layer to the film; everything was shot with real trains, even the climactic wreck at the end. This decision made The General one of the most expensive films of the silent era (a whopping $400,000), but personally, I think it was worth every penny.

However, the film does have some faults. For starters, it takes a little while for the action to get going (the chase, which makes up the majority of the first half of the film, doesn't start until more than 20 minutes into the movie). Some of the musical pieces picked to accompany certain scenes seem out of place. My primary gripe is during the climactic battle scene, which moves at a very fast pace, the music is very slow, almost tranquil. While this isn't the only spot where the music doesn't seem to fit, it is the most noticeable. Also, I think that the caption cards may have been displayed for a bit too long (but then again, I'm a really fast reader). However, these faults are minor ones, and even with them, the film is definitely worth watching.

Amazingly, even though it is considered to be one of the best films ever made, The General was a major flop when it first premiered. Apparently, audiences were expecting another light-hearted comedy similar to Keaton's other works, not a serious action-drama. However, the film slowly but surely gathered a following, and while it took many years, Keaton's genious with this film was finally recognized.

Overall, I would say that if you enjoy silent films, definitely watch The General if you haven't already. (If you have, watch it again) If you've never seen a silent film before, you should still watch it; it's a great starting point into the era of silent films. Just make sure you watch it somewhere besides the Internet.