Chaplin was the tramp, Lloyd was the go-getter, and Buster Keaton—Born Oct. 4, 1895—was the Great Stone Face. He was unflappable, no matter how hard he got hit or how hard he fell. The General is his best, maybe the greatest American movie ever made. It’s a Civil War comedy, with Keaton as the conductor of The General locomotive, a sought-after engine constantly under siege. Keaton keeps the motor running, no matter what. The movie is one death-defying stunt piece after another, and each is jaw-dropping by even today’s standards.

The General (1926)
Written and directed by Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton
Adapted by Al Boasberg, Charles Henry Smith
Based on the memoir The Great Locomotive Chase by William Pittenger
Produced by Buster Keaton
Starring: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley
United Artists, Not rated, Running time 78 minutes, Opened Dec. 25, 1926

---

---

The above review first appeared in Boulder Weekly Vol. 27, No. 44, “Home Viewing: Silent Clowns.”