MovieMartyr.com - The General

Buster Keaton’s brand of comedy seems as if it will remain one of the truly timeless things that this medium called movies has managed to produce. There’s no doubt that he’s incomparably funny when he’s “on”, and he’s rarely more “on” than he is in The General. Set during the American Civil War and loosely based on an actual incident, the film follows Keaton, who plays a Confederate railroad engineer that has a chip on his shoulder since he wasn’t allowed to fight as a solider (apparently he's of more value to the South as an engineer than an infantryman). Through its many elaborately constructed comedic bits, the structure of the movie becomes that of a chase flick. Despite that action movie setup, there’s little that’s disappointingly standard about it. It’s not exactly a transcendent experience, since we’re usually aware that it’s setting us up for a laugh, but it’s so easygoing about its genius that it’s impossible to dislike. The stunts here are startlingly orchestrated and perfectly timed, and the film’s considerable budget (the movie actually lost money in its initial release!) is evident onscreen. As the movie lays on a succession of gags that all make us giggle, it becomes apparent to the viewer that they’re rarely laughing loudly. Things are generally more amusing than flat-out funny, but it’s consistently that way, so it never feels as if the gags are misfiring.

Through much of the film, we view Keaton’s character in an extreme long shot, giving the impression that the chaotic environment around him dwarfs him. Though there are practical applications of such a style (there’s a lot of visual information to show onscreen, and the long shot is the best way to do it), it’s almost as if Keaton was composing for a widescreen format before it existed. The spatial relations here are incredibly complex, and because they cast the protagonist as such a tiny element in the world around him, his triumphs are that much more impressive. He seems somewhat annoyed by the girl he loves, but the man seems to become one with his train as he drives it, starting and stopping its bulk at will, almost giving the impression that he appreciates the bigger space it gives him in the world. Indeed, as he pursues some Union bandits, they fear his train and flee, but turn to attack him once they realize he’s its only passenger. This obsession with size and control continues throughout the picture, and the perfectly staged physical comedy seems an extension of it. Though these themes hardly dominate things, they add a bit of context to what is otherwise marvelously frivolous. As a universal bit of entertainment, few films can outdo The General. Its peerless mixture of exciting action and kinetic comedy are one of moviedom’s supreme pleasures.

* * * * Masterpiece

02/03/02

Jeremy Heilman