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"The General", a classic silent comedy, lifted Buster Keaton from
the ashes of oblivion decades after his name and legacy were forgotten.
Audiences and critics in the 1920ies did not appreciate this extraordinary
masterpiece, but Buster Keaton always regarded "The General" as his
best film. Today he is totally vindicated and the world agrees with him.
The movie luminary Orson Welles has stated that Buster Keaton's "The
General" is "the greatest comedy ever made, the greatest Civil War
film ever made, and perhaps the greatest film ever made." (From
Wikipedia).
The film contains the single most spectacular scene of the Silent Era when a
real train falls from a burning bridge and crashes into the river below.
"The General" has been voted in the list of the best films ever
made, and is ranked number 1 in the list of The Top 100 Silent Era Films of the
influential website Silent Era.
"The General" was selected for preservation in the National Film
Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically
significant" in 1989, the first year it was enacted.
Directed by
Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton
Produced by
Joseph Schenck, Buster Keaton
Scenario by
Al Boasberg, Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton
Based on
The Great Locomotive Chase by William Pittenger
Starring
Buster Keaton, Marion Mack
Cinematography Bert Haines,
Devereaux Jennings
Distributed by United
Artists
Release date
5 February 1927
Running time 75 min.
Country
United States
Language
Silent film, English intertitles
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