The General

Name: The General
Director: Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Released: 1927-01-02
Duration: 78 min
Rating: 8.1
Cast: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender

After being rejected by the Confederate military, not realizing it was due to his crucial civilian role, an engineer must single-handedly recapture his beloved locomotive after it is seized by Union spies and return it through ene...

Trailer

Director

Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton

Studio

N/A

Release

02 Jan 1927

Runtime

78 min

Genres

Action, Adventure, Comedy

Cast & Characters

Buster Keaton

Marion Mack

Glen Cavender

Did You Know?

Critical Assessment

IMDb

8.1/10

RT Critics

92%

The General holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (104,099 votes), 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.

Ratings as of 2026-07-30

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AI Verdict

AI-generated

Based on aggregated scores (8.1/10 on IMDb (104,099 votes), 92% on Rotten Tomatoes), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.

Fan & Critic Buzz

AI Summary

Keaton's performance was widely praised for its physicality and comedic value. Reviews noted that the film balances action and romance effectively, with some critics calling it a masterpiece despite flaws in its storytelling and humor. Some reviewers also praised the film's historical significance, noting that it showcases Keaton at his best.

Reviews

Just amazing. Really, really impressive scenes with the railway engines and a physically incredible Keaton.
Andres Gomez · 10/10
There's quite a lot going on here - it is certainly comedic, but there is also plenty of action and even some romance in this American Civil War story. Keaton ("Johnnie") has been deemed more important as a railroad engineer so was rejected as a soldier - but this causes his girl…
CinemaSerf · 8/10
This is Keaton’s masterpiece, a flawed one, yes. It’s not funny enough and the story could be developed more. But it is significant, flaws and all. The closest a film will ever get to flawed perfection.
James · 7/10

From the trailer's comments

Legendary! Happy 100th to The General.
@filmmaker610 · 20 likes
All his own stunts, this will be a instant purchase. Thank you Eureka
@timothycrawford3476 · 13 likes
Fury Road with trains. What a wild movie.
@DoctorBatmanMD · 6 likes
Instant Pre order. I crave these old films.
@My20GUNS · 11 likes
First saw "The General" when I was in a film course at college. Even did an essay about the movie in another course. It's honestly one of my favorite silent films and I can see why this is Buster Keaton's magnum opus. Really love the trains and the stunts in this movie. Keaton ha…
@darthstarkiller1912 · 8 likes
MAGNIFICENT!
@ArbiterOfEphemera · 5 likes
Wonderful movie, but my favorite Keaton movie is still Our Hospitality (1923).
@flyingrobotduck · 3 likes
Masterpiece!
@pikebunch3574 · 2 likes