THE GENERAL

Considered by many to be the last great comedy of the silent era, THE GENERAL consistently ranks as one of the greatest comedies of all time on international critics’ polls. Set during the Civil War and based on a true incident, the film is also an authentic looking period piece, bringing the scope and realism of Matthew Brady-like images to brilliant life. The title refers not to Keaton’s character, but to his engine, ‘The General,’ which figures prominently in one of the most harrowing and hilarious chase scenes ever filmed. Keaton portrays the engineer Johnnie Gray, who is rejected by the Confederate Army and then suffers the further humiliation of his girlfriend’s (Marlon Mack) thinking him a coward.