The General (1926)
Maybe I’m being overly cautious, but a part of me feels guilty for enjoying The General in 2024. The movie, first released in 1926, takes place during the Civil War and is based partly on an actual event. Its hero — a bumbling railroad engineer played by the silent film star Buster Keaton — is on the Confederate side, while the bad guys are all Union soldiers. Even though the war is central to the plot, which involves Keaton’s character chasing after a stolen train and stealing back, it’s more of a plot device than anything else. It’s a way for Keaton to showcase his brand of physical humor. Nonetheless, rooting for his character feels complicated today.
But if the setting and circumstances make me cringe, what Keaton pulls off in the movie is timeless. Why do millions of people flock to Tom Cruise movies today if not to see a performer put his body on the line for our entertainment? There’s just an undeniable thrill in watching someone do something dangerous for no other reason than to make us gasp or laugh.
To see it done with Keaton’s muted, ho-hum grace only makes it better. His character in The General is a durable guy, but he’s not physically impressive. That makes it all the more fun watching him tumble and twirl through one precarious situation after another. You don’t end up rooting for him because of what side he’s on, but because of how he carries himself from one pratfall to another. You’re rooting for the quiet, reserved strength underneath.
What Keaton does with his face is critical here. His nickname was the Great Stone Face because of the deadpan expression he always wore. But it’s not just a bit; it’s part of the timelessness of his performance. It’s the face of someone who is primed to expect the worst but hopes for the best. It’s the face, in other words, of perseverance itself.