The General
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...
Directed by Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton · Action · Adventure · Comedy · 78 min · 1927
Trailer
Director
Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton
Studio
Buster Keaton Productions / Joseph M. Schenck Productions
Release
02 Jan 1927
Runtime
78 min
Genres
Action, Adventure, Comedy
Full Plot
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.
Cast & Characters
Johnnie Gray
Buster Keaton
Annabelle Lee
Marion Mack
Union Captain Anderson
Glen Cavender
General Thatcher
Jim Farley
a Confederate general
Frederick Vroom
Annabelle's father
Charles Smith
Annabelle's brother
Frank Barnes
a Union general
Joe Keaton
a Union general
Mike Donlin
a Union general
Tom Nawn
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $750,000, The General has grossed $1.0M worldwide — about 1.3x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Keaton was a huge fan of trains.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Keaton changed the story's point of view from Union Army to Confederate perspective.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Keaton purchased two vintage locomotives in Oregon for the film's production.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Keaton spent weeks working on elaborate pyrotechnics shots and growing his hair long for the role.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
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 August 2, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The General's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
The General holds a 92% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is The General's IMDb rating?+
The General has a 8.1/10 rating on IMDb from 104,099 votes.
Is The General good? What are critics saying?+
The General holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (104,099 votes), 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
How long is The General?+
The General has a runtime of 78 min.
Who directed The General?+
The General was directed by Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton.
Where can I watch The General?+
The General is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus, FlixFling, Cohen Media Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Kino Film Collection, Artiflix, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to "The General" is overwhelmingly positive, with many reviewers praising its technical achievements and entertainment value. The film has been described as a masterpiece, flawed perfection, and even considered by some to be the greatest silent film of all time. The high praise for Keaton's performance and stunts has also contributed to its widespread acclaim.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Just amazing. Really, really impressive scenes with the railway engines and a physically incredible Keaton.
Andres Gomez · 10/10There'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 · 8/10This 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
All his own stunts, this will be a instant purchase. Thank you Eureka
@timothycrawford3476 · 13 likesLegendary! Happy 100th to The General.
@filmmaker610 · 23 likesInstant Pre order. I crave these old films.
@My20GUNS · 11 likesFury Road with trains. What a wild movie.
@DoctorBatmanMD · 6 likesFirst 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 likesMAGNIFICENT!
@ArbiterOfEphemera · 5 likesMasterpiece!
@pikebunch3574 · 2 likesJust got mine, excellent release and wonderful extras.
@My20GUNS · 0 likes
