A dazzling silent comedy, "The General" seems to set the standard for any movie chase scene that came afterward. There's a hint of "The Great Train Robbery," made nearly a quarter of a century earlier, but where the earlier film was experimental this demonstrates perfection. Buster Keaton is a railroad engineer in the Civil War South who is rejected by the draft board but finds himself chasing--or being chased--by Union soldiers who have stolen his train. The ongoing shenanigans are fresh and funny, the scenery is beautiful, and the action sequences are still impressive. Keaton is marvelously deadpan throughout. It only gets better when Marion Mack joins the chase, as the two lovers-in-waiting frustrate each other along the way. A cinematic must: this is why they make movies! 10 out of 10
Review of The General
