Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
During America’s Civil War, Union spies steal engineer Johnny Gray's beloved locomotive, 'The General'—with Johnnie's lady love aboard an attached boxcar—and he single-handedly must do all in his power to both get The General back and to rescue Annabelle.
Buster Keaton's The General is a landmark of silent cinema whose Novelty score reflects its singular, unmistakable execution — the film remains one of the most precisely choreographed action-comedies ever made, with stunt work and locomotive sequences that have never quite been replicated. Cinematography earns a 4 for its breathtaking use of real trains, landscapes, and the famous bridge collapse, all captured with an audacity that still impresses nearly a century later. The Plot is a straightforward chase structure — functional and well-paced but not especially complex, earning a solid 3. Acting in silent film is a different craft, and Keaton's deadpan physicality is masterful, though supporting performances are thin, keeping it at a 3. The Ending resolves satisfactorily but feels slightly rushed compared to the brilliance of the central chase sequences, landing at a 3.