The General

Synopsis: Johnnie loves his train ("The General") and Annabelle Lee. When the Civil War begins he is turned down for service because he's more valuable as an engineer. Annabelle thinks it's because he's a coward. Union spies capture The General with Annabelle on board. Johnnie must rescue both his loves.
Production: United Artists Films
  2 wins & 1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
8.2
Rotten Tomatoes:
93%
NOT RATED
Year:
1926
67 min
1,409 Views


The Western and Atlantic Flyer speeding

into Marrietta, Ga., in the Spring 1861.

There were two

loves in his live.

His engine,

And--

"Fort Sumter has been

fired upon."

"Then the war is here."

"Yes, dad, and I'm going

to be one of the first to enlist."

"Aren't you going

to enlist?"

"Your name?"

"Johnnie Gray."

"Occupation?"

"Engineer on the Western

and Atlantic Railroad."

"Don't enlist him. He is more valuable

to the South as an engineer."

"We can't use you."

"William Brown."

"Occupation?"

"Bartender."

"If you lose this war

don't blame me."

"Did Johnnie enlist?"

"He didn't even get in line."

"He's a disgrace to

the South.

"Why didn't you enlist?"

"They wouldn't take me."

"Please don't lie. I don't want you to

speak to me again until you are in uniform.

A year later. In a Union encampment

just North of Chattanooga.

General Thatcher, and

his chief spy, Captain Anderson.

"I Know every foot of this railroad

from Marietta to Chattanooga, and with

ten picked men I cannot fail."

"We will enter the South as civilians

coming from the neutral state of Kentucky

to join the southern cause."

"At Big Shanty we will steal the train while

the passengers and the crew are at dinner,

and proceeding North

we will burn every bridge,

cutting off the supplies

of the army now facing you."

"Then the day you steal the train I will

have General Parker advance to meet you."

"As soon as I arrive I will let you

know how seriously father is wounded."

"Big Shanty.

Twenty minutes for dinner."

"Three men stole my General.

I think they are deserters."

"Why not stop and fight them?"

"I'm afraid they have us

greatly outnumbered."

The Southern army facing Chattanooga

is ordered to retreat."

General Parker's victorious

Northern army advancing.

"There is only one man

on that engine."

In the enemy's country, hopelessly lost,

helplessly cold and horribly hungry.

"At Nine o'clock tomorrow morning

our supply trains will meet

and unite with General Parker's

army at the Rock River bridge."

"Then the army, backed by

our supply trains,

will advance for a surprise attack

on the rebels left flank."

"Once our trains and troops cross that

bridge, nothing on the earth can stop us."

"This girl was in the baggage car

when we stole the train,

so I thought it best to hold her."

"We had better stay here until

daybreak to see where we are."

"It was so brave of you to risk your life,

coming into the enemy's country,

just to save me."

After a nice, quiet,

refreshing night's rest.

"We've got to get back

to our lines somehow and

warn them of this coming attack."

"I will get that spy before he reaches

the Southern lines. You follow with

the supply trains as planned."

"We must pick up

more firewood."

The Rock River bridge.

The Northern division nearing

the bridge to meet the supply trains.

"That bridge is not burned enough

to stop you, and my men will ford the river."

Heroes of the day.

"Is that your uniform?"

"I had to wear it to get

through the lines."

"Take it off!"

"Enlist the lieutenant."

"Occupation?"

"Soldier."

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Buster Keaton

Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, film director, producer, screenwriter, and stunt performer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face". Critic Roger Ebert wrote of Keaton's "extraordinary period from 1920 to 1929, [when] he worked without interruption on a series of films that make him, arguably, the greatest actor–director in the history of the movies". His career declined afterward with a dispiriting loss of his artistic independence when he was hired by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, his wife divorced him, and he descended into alcoholism. He recovered in the 1940s, remarried, and revived his career to a degree as an honored comic performer for the rest of his life, earning an Academy Honorary Award. Many of Keaton's films from the 1920s, such as Sherlock Jr. (1924), The General (1926), and The Cameraman (1928), remain highly regarded, with The General widely viewed as his masterpiece. Among its strongest admirers was Orson Welles, who stated that The General was cinema's highest achievement in comedy, and perhaps the greatest film ever made. Keaton was recognized as the seventh-greatest film director by Entertainment Weekly, and in 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him the 21st greatest male star of classic Hollywood cinema. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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