MovieChat Forums > The General (1927) Discussion > I like to think I have good taste in mov...

I like to think I have good taste in movies, but...

posted 17 years ago by bulldawg8110
15 replies | jump to latest

I like a lot of classic movies. 12 Angry Men, M, The Third Man, and silent films like Metropolis and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari for example. However, I didn't get this movie at all. The humor, where there is humor, is all very slapstick. It's very juvenile and unclever. Just because it's classic doesn't mean it's good.

With that said, I actually very much enjoyed Buster Keaton's "Sherlock Jr.", which I felt was ahead of its time and very clever. This movie had a large scope for its time, but I fail to see what else makes this movie so great.

[–] rbnhood581 17 years ago

I disagree. While much of the humor is slapstick, it's not strictly so. A lot of the humor is situational and stems from Keaton's reaction shots (such as when the cannon drops to aim at him, or when the car in front of his locomotive mysteriously disappears). There's also considerable humor from audience sympathy regarding what Johnnie has to go through, like climbing down a steep hill to get to his engine, only to have to climb back up. If you want juvenile and unclever, just look at all of the recent comedy films referencing genitalia in the past few years. Dodgeball, Balls of Fury, Mr. Woodcock...my, how far we have fallen.

Live without reason for shame...leave without cause for regret.

[–] chirpie 15 years ago

Hey, you leave Dodgeball out of this! "At Global-Gym, we're better than you are!"

^_^

[–] Foot_Freakin_Master 17 years ago

I haven't seen much of Buster Keaton. I must say I loved the General. Much of it kept me in stitches. Plus, I like the story, including aspects of loyalty, misunderstanding, perseverance. I suppose it was also a little interesting it was somewhat based on a true story.

Buster's physical aspects, appearance, physical humor, was great. The situations were fun. The train chase was a hoot, with some suspense in it. It even included redemption accomplished fairly accidentally.

I do respect all viewpoints.

[–] classicmoviecomedy 17 years ago

Slapstick humor is usually has the broadest appeal, crossing cultural and time barriers.

I will say that when I first saw THE GENERAL, when I was quite young, I didn't appreciate the humor in this film as much. James Agee was quite right when he said that Keaton may be cinema's only "dry" slapstick comic, the way we may describe Mark Twain as a "dry" wit.

I won't attempt to persuade you otherwise, but let me just say why I personally admire this film so much:

Part of what makes the film so devastatingly funny is how accurate to the period it is. Remember that in 1927 there were still many veterans of the Civil War who would have appreciated that attention to detail. It adds to the humor because Keaton rightly recognized that if we feel like we're watching a living, moving Mathew Brady photograph, it makes his antics all the more incongruously funny.

The timing of the physical gags is some of the most complex and flawlessly executed in all of silent comedy, and that's really saying something. I can't think of any other comedian who worked on this scale so brilliantly, and who pulled off each bit of business so well. Chaplin, for instance, worked on a much smaller, intimate scale, connecting directly with the viewer through the psychology of his character. Keaton connects on that level, but on a much larger scale, relating his character to the world and objects around him.

It's a tribute to Keaton's directorial skill that his supporting cast is not made up of grotesques and clownish "types", but are all made up very realistically. This is not to slight Marion Mack's brilliantly timed and subtle performance alongside Keaton through much of the film, however.

Finally, if you really want to give it the effort, I'd say watch the film again, perhaps a couple more times. Silent comedy really does require a certain attention be paid to individual details in order to be appreciated fully.

____
View my films at: www.youtube.com/comedyfilm

[–] BeastMode 17 years ago

>>
Finally, if you really want to give it the effort, I'd say watch the film again, perhaps a couple more times. Silent comedy really does require a certain attention be paid to individual details in order to be appreciated fully.
>>

I completely agree...first time I ever watched this film I could barely *beep* through it...I wasn't paying attention much...was talking throughout most of the movies and I couldn't observe the small details that actually mattered within the film...At first I believed this movie was nowhere close to Chaplins 'City Lights'...but now I believe for it to be nearly as amazing...if not on par with 'City Lights'.

[–] colt_89 16 years ago

I didn't find the film hugely hilarious, but I found it very entertaining in that comedic light. The reactions from Keaton is what made the film funny though, I was a little disappointed when I first started the film and it was all simplistic slapstick, but it got better, but only because Keaton had great reactions, plus the film was just easy to enjoy, so the simple slapstick here and there didn't bother me too much.

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[–] collin-reid 16 years ago

Agreed. This is less slapstick than all other Keaton classics (including shorts) but his "dry" slapstick is at its best. I still laugh at the humor of the picture he gives his girlfriend and "if you lose the war, don't blame me." The slapstick here lowers the gag volume but does build the tension of the individual gag. Most gags take a little more time than normal but it makes the payoff bigger(and the stone face more effective.) This is especially effective here, because the narrative is focused on the great "chase" of old time locomotives. Therefore, by controlling the gag volume, Keaton is building the tension and excitement of the locomotive chase. So the slapstick is really secondary to tension of the chase.

Also, The General has other key factor, is no other film captures the Civil War quality as the General. Admittingly, we get the images of the Civil War from old photos but no other movie even comes close to capturing this image so well. The audience really does feel like they are witnessing a Civil War movie.

That said, make sure you watch a quality version of the General instead of a PD hack job. Many of the $1 versions are set to the wrong speed and the wrong tint to the photography.

[–] cjrone 14 years ago

I can't begin to say how special this film is to me. Pure epic awesomeness, and the most visually entertaining film ever in my opinion. It can't be watched as a comedy alone. It's better to watch it as an epic action film. It's pretty serious when the chase is on, but I noticed that whenever they stop, it's funny-time! And during these "rest stop skits", the tension is building because the Union trains are closing in, and will catch up to the General in seconds if Jonnie can't stop messin' around! The slapstick is very realistic and can be taken seriously too. I particularly enjoyed the Union officers falling around all over their car and cursing out the engineers! It's also got some satire plus some Southern pride, so it's just perfect!

It was shot about 40 miles from where I live. So not only is it a very accurate portrayal of the time of the Civil War, but it also shows what Cottage Grove was like in the 1920's. Some of the town was dressed as Marietta, GA for the film. Besides a few Confederate flags, it's still recognizably 1920's Cottage Grove, OR!

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[–] SinemaGirl 15 years ago

With Buster Keaton's movies, there is an embarrassment of riches, but for some reason, "The General" is my favorite as well. And like you KAGE, it's one of my favorite movies ever. The balance of all the elements is about as perfect as any movie I know.

Just a few days ago, the Fox Theater in Atlanta showed "The General." I wasn't there, but one of the audience members reported an overwhelming response of the nearly 2000 audience members. And as it is so often, the railroad tie gag was singled out as drawing a great reaction. And rightfully so. That scene perfectly encompasses that balance; it's in service to the story, and deftly display's Keaton's cleverness and physical agility. A perfect cinematic moment.

According to the report, at the end of the movie, the audience erupted in a standing ovation, which generally seems pointless to me when at a movie, like nobody in the movie will hear you. BUT there was a live musical accompaniment, and such things are gratifying to those working the theater to know they've delivered a truly memorable experience. The audience member's young daughter told him, "If they made movies like that today, I'd be in the theater every weekend!" After nearly three quarters of a century, it still delivers the goods.

Could part of that have been watching a movie in Atlanta that ends with the South winning? Well, all I know is that it was Keaton's favorite and that's good enough for me.

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[–] burninor593 14 years ago

Slapstick in and of itself isn't 'juvenile', just not everybody enjoys slapstick comedy. It's important to remember that this movie paved the way for slapstick for years to come, including today, so it may look unclever to you but it was as witty and clever as ever back in the day. Besides, most of the humor comes from circumstance, at some points it's a surprisingly dark comedy.
Not to mention, it's not that bad of a love story and some of the action and adventure aspects of it are way ahead of its time.