Buster keaton, who produced and directed the film, plays johnnie gray, the engineer of the general, whose sweetheart. Annabelle lee is a passenger on the train and johnnie goes behind enemy lines to rescue his train and his girl. Like many silent movies, the plot is essentially win the girl, but the general at least uses a lot more humor and style in its storytelling. The general is a 1926 american silent film comedy film released by united artists. The general, american silent comedy film, released in 1927, starring and directed by comedian buster keaton, and cited by many film historians as one of the greatest american movies. Mack is best known for costarring with buster keaton in the 1926 silent comedy film, the general. Get on the general with anabelle lee marion mack and johnnie gray buster keaton and recreate. The copies previously uploaded here were either incomplete or too blurry. The general 1926 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. When the civil war begins he is turned down for service because hes more valuable as an engineer. The general is more than a highpoint in a keaton continuum. The general 1927 is an imaginative masterpiece of deadpan stoneface buster keaton comedy, generally regarded as one of the greatest of all silent comedies and keatons own favorite and undoubtedly the best train film ever made.
To say this is not simply to conjure up some scale of achievement, with the general at one end, and say, battling butler at the other. If you want a good experience viewing silent movies, you need the right music. Joey marion mccreery lewyn april 8, 1902may 1, 1989, known professionally as marion mack, was an american film actress and screenwriter. The general is a civil war tale, the fictionalized account of an attempted hijacking of a confederate train called the general by union spies in 1862. The general is a 1926 silent film starring buster keaton and codirected by keaton and clyde bruckman. The general go up and down the locomotive doing acrobatics with your minifigures. The railroad initially permitted him to do so, even providing him with a branch line to film on. Other silent actors might mug to get a point across, but keaton remained observant and collected. General custer at the little big horn is a 1926 silent film historical western and drama, directed by harry l. When northern spies steal the general and, unwittingly, annabelle, the story.
The film is based on the 1920 broadway hit play the bat by mary roberts rinehart and avery hopwood, which itself was an adaptation of rineharts 1908 mystery novel the circular staircase. The train scene from buster keatons the general is the most expensive scene in silent film history. The mhm podcast network movie synopsis and film summary of the general 1926 directed by clyde bruckman and buster keaton, and starring buster keaton, marion mack, and glen cavender. The general 1926 american silent comedy film directed by clyde bruckman and buster keaton. Any help to confirm this would be gratefully welcomed. Three or four thousand local people from all over the area had gathered on that hot summer day to witness. It was inspired by the great locomotive chase, a true story of an event that. The general 1927 the best movies in cinematic history. Media for the 1926 united states silent film the general. I had the honor of introducing buster keatons 1926 masterpiece the general at the san francisco silent film festivals inaugural a day of silents festival held in 2014. The general is an american silent comedy film released by united artists inspired by the great locomotive chase, which happened in 1862. Buster keatons oregonfilmed the general tours state.
Given the production limitations of 1926, the action scenes and the. The general buster keaton full length action movie. The general 1926 buster keaton the general is a 1926 american silent comedy film released by united artists. The general 1926 with buster keaton is an american classic silent film period. However, when it became known that the film was to be a comedy, the railroad withdrew permission and keaton had to look elsewhere. Silent hall of fame has created a silent gems collection of rare and for the first time available films with our stars, as well as other silent. The general 1926 was the basis of the reestablishment of buster keatons reputation in the late 1940s, when the world rediscovered his brilliant comedic talents. Why buster keatons the general is the one film you should. Telling the story of a blundering train conductor who. Hello fellow wikipedians, i have just added archive links to one external link on the general 1926 film. The story was adapted from the memoir the great locomotive chase by william pittenger. Keaton drew on another 19thcentury incident, the notorious hatfieldmccoy family feud of 187891, for his earlier masterpiece, our hospitality 1923. Buster keaton wanted to use the real locomotive the general, which was at the nashville, chattanooga, and st louis union depot in chattanooga, tn. Andrew pulver recommends buster keatons 1926 silent actioncomedy film, the general.
Discussion here about the film having a possible release in late 1926 in japan. Considering age of film 1926 wonderful train story. When union spies steal an engineers beloved locomotive, he pursues it singlehandedly and straight through enemy lines. Only decades later was the general recognised as one of silent cinemas greatest comedies. Buster keatons timeless 1926 silent the general is the perfect chase movie see it and gasp.
The movie feels rather big in comparison to many other silent films and the storys civil war ties give it a little more substance than other comedies. The general keaton and clyde bruckman, 1926, which he considered his favourite, was keatons last independently produced film and in many ways presents the apotheosis of his style. The general is an epic of silent comedy, one of the most expensive films of its time, including an accurate historical recreation of a civil war episode, hundreds of extras, dangerous stunt sequences, and an actual locomotive falling from a burning bridge into a gorge far below. Union spies capture the general with annabelle on board. Inspired by the great locomotive chase, which happened in 1862, the film. Bits of 1926 hollywood train wreck are still in row river.
How buster keaton filmed the general chaplinkeaton. Information about the audio tracks has been left out on all of the listings i have looked at for silent movies such as the general, the navigator, steamboat bill and others. After retiring from acting in 1928, she wrote several short screenplays and took up a career in real estate. As a silent film, the general must rely mainly on images for its humorthe slapstick images of johnnie falling over constantly, the unusual image of johnnie riding up and down on the crossbar between the train wheels, the stereotype exploitation in the scene when the girl sweeps out the locomotive. The general 1926 silent film charliedeanarchives archival. The pioneering genius of buster keatons 1926 silent film the general now on rerelease looks even more startling than ever. In 1862, after spies steal his locomotive, the general, he wages a oneman battle to recover it.
The civil war adventureepic classic was made toward the end of the silent. After making three features of a more modest scope, the general 1926 marked his return to filmmaking on an ambitious scale. Buster keatons masterpiece and one of the greatest silent movies of all time was filmed in the cottage grove area in the summer of 1926. Eight reels 7500 feet directed by buster keaton and clyde bruckman. The general is the greatest of buster keatons featureshis most inventive, ambitious, and perfectly crafted film. The general, perhaps the greatest film ever made, and 20. Bits of 1926 hollywood train wreck are still in row river the movie was the general, starring buster keaton. Buster keaton johnny gray, marian mack annabelle lee, glen cavender captain anderson, jim farley general thatcher, frederick vroom southern general, charles smith annabelles father, frank barnes. It was inspired by the great locomotive chase, a true story of an event that occurred during the american civil war. Rereleased after 1928 with musical soundtrack and sound effects.
In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the citys mastermind falls in love with a working class prophet who predicts the coming of a. The general 1926 features the great silent film actor buster keaton. Buster keaton the general 1926 silent movie action comedy. Yes, dad, and im going to be one of the first to enlist. Set during the american civil war, keaton plays the engineer. Check out the official the general 1926 trailer starring buster keaton. In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the citys mastermind falls in love with a working class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences. I know silent films can be very taxing with organ music sound track, flickering picture, washed out images and reading of the frequent dialogue cards flashing up on the screen every few minutes to keep you on the. The general is a 1926 american silent comedy film released by united artists. None less movie authority than orson welles stated that buster keatons the general is the greatest comedy ever made, the greatest civil war. The bat is a 1926 american comedymystery silent film directed by roland west and starring jack pickford and louise fazenda. The general, buster keaton, 1926, mp4, 720p, silent johnnie loves his train the general and annabelle lee.
The general, as roger ebert describes it, is an epic of silent comedy, one of the most expensive films of its time, including an accurate historical recreation of a civil war episode, hundreds of extras, dangerous stunt sequences, and an actual locomotive falling from a burning bridge into a gorge far below. Commonly considered to be one of keatons masterpieces. The general is an epic of silent comedy, one of the most expensive films of its time, including an accurate historical recreation of a civil war. It is set during the american civil war 186165 and highlights the theme of. Time out spearheading the bfis buster keaton season is this 4k restoration of his 1926 masterpiece, a jawplunging blend opt physical dexterity and bravura moviemaking. Johnnie loves his train the general and annabelle lee. The general 1926 starring buster keaton public domain movies. The american civil war is in its second year and johnnie gray is barred from enlisting. The general 1926 original piano score by william p. The general 1926 starring buster keaton internet archive. Why you really do need to see buster keatons the general. The general buster keaton film analysis senses of cinema. Preceding the show, these informational slides below prepared by the festivals artistic director anita monga, ran on a loop as people took their seats.
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