Train robberies, the Civil War and a damsel in distress. These are the major plots of Buster Keaton’s The General. The General premiered in 1926 and was written and directed by Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman. The film stars Keaton as train-loving, everyman, Johnny Gray and Marion Mack as Gray’s sweetheart, Annabelle Lee. The General monopolizes on the success of chase films such as The Great Train Robbery to create a film that seamlessly combines drama, action and comedy. In fact, these three components are so intertwined that it is tricky to talk about one without talking about the others. Drama is the first vital element of this movie.
One of the major dramatic elements of this movie is its setting: The South during the Civil War. Keaton …show more content…
Films like The Great Train Robbery proved that action films are a lucrative genre for film investors and producers. In The General, Buster Keaton took advantage of the popularity of previous chase films and structured the movie around two major train chase sequences. The first train chase revolves around rescuing Annabelle Lee from the Northerners who have taken her and the beloved “General” hostage. After Annabelle Lee is freed, the second chase scene focuses on Gray and Lee getting “The General” back from its abductors. In that chase scene, it is Johnny Gray and Annabelle Lee who are being chased as the Northern generals attempt to thwart their escape. These chase sequences propel the movie forward and serve as a vehicle for some impressive stunt work and comedic moments from Buster …show more content…
The last fifteen minutes of the movie are an especially good example. In the climax of the movie, the Confederates regain “The General” and a battle with the Northern army ensues. The sequence has the drama and action of warfare with comedic pieces added in. One of the running gags throughout this sequence is that Johnny Gray can’t use his sword correctly. At one point, he brazenly unsheathes his sword, only to have the blade fly out and kill the hidden snipper who was killing of the cannon men. This scene also includes one of the most extraordinary stunts ever seen in a silent film: the Northern train going over a burning bridge that collapses as the train is going over it.
The Civil War was a time of strife and misery for America. However, The General is light, theatrical, and intensely entertaining. The General is a film that fit three genres into one hour-length movie. Drama, action, and comedy are interwoven together brilliantly through the movie. Even though Buster Keaton is not as widely known as his rival, Charlie Chaplin, his films stand the test of time and prove to still be enjoyable for audiences in 2016 as they were for audiences in
One of the major dramatic elements of this movie is its setting: The South during the Civil War. Keaton …show more content…
Films like The Great Train Robbery proved that action films are a lucrative genre for film investors and producers. In The General, Buster Keaton took advantage of the popularity of previous chase films and structured the movie around two major train chase sequences. The first train chase revolves around rescuing Annabelle Lee from the Northerners who have taken her and the beloved “General” hostage. After Annabelle Lee is freed, the second chase scene focuses on Gray and Lee getting “The General” back from its abductors. In that chase scene, it is Johnny Gray and Annabelle Lee who are being chased as the Northern generals attempt to thwart their escape. These chase sequences propel the movie forward and serve as a vehicle for some impressive stunt work and comedic moments from Buster …show more content…
The last fifteen minutes of the movie are an especially good example. In the climax of the movie, the Confederates regain “The General” and a battle with the Northern army ensues. The sequence has the drama and action of warfare with comedic pieces added in. One of the running gags throughout this sequence is that Johnny Gray can’t use his sword correctly. At one point, he brazenly unsheathes his sword, only to have the blade fly out and kill the hidden snipper who was killing of the cannon men. This scene also includes one of the most extraordinary stunts ever seen in a silent film: the Northern train going over a burning bridge that collapses as the train is going over it.
The Civil War was a time of strife and misery for America. However, The General is light, theatrical, and intensely entertaining. The General is a film that fit three genres into one hour-length movie. Drama, action, and comedy are interwoven together brilliantly through the movie. Even though Buster Keaton is not as widely known as his rival, Charlie Chaplin, his films stand the test of time and prove to still be enjoyable for audiences in 2016 as they were for audiences in