OUTDOOR CINEMA: The General [U]

20:30
£7.50, Conessions £5

1927 | USA | Black & White | 1hr 45m
Directors: Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton
Cast: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack

Considered by many to be the last great comedy of the silent era, The General consistently ranks as one of the greatest comedies of all time on international critics’ polls. Set during the Civil War and based on a true incident, the film is also an authentic looking period piece. The title refers not to Keaton’s character, but to his engine, ‘The General’ which figures prominently in one of the most harrowing and hilarious chase scenes ever filmed. Keaton portrays the engineer Johnnie Gray, who is rejected by the Confederate Army and then suffers the further humiliation of his girlfriend thinking him a coward. When a small band of Union soldiers penetrate far beyond Confederate lines to steal his locomotive, Johnnie sets off in hot pursuit. As always, Keaton performs his own stunts, combining his prodigious dexterity, impeccable comic timing, and expressive body language to exquisite effect. The film features a Carl Davis score.

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