The tale of a lad, a lass and a locomotive

Starring: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley, Frederick Vroom, Frank Barnes, Charles Henry Smith, Joe Keaton, Mike Donlin, Tom Nawn

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Please don't lie - I don't want you to speak to me again until you are in uniform." - Annabelle Lee, to Johnnie Gray, regarding his enlistment rejection

Why watch this? Before Chaplin, there was Buster Keaton, and he was a comedic genius.

Plot Summary: At the start of the American Civil War, Johnnie Gray, a train engineer aboard The General, is rejected from service. This brings shame upon him and infuriates his girlfriend, Annabelle Lee. A year later, when Union spies seize The General, Annabelle is captured and held captive. Johnnie rushes to free her, using any means available including a handcar and bicycle. Eventually Johnnie boards a locomotive called the Texas, but accidentally leaves the Rebel troop car behind. This starts an epic adventure where a lone man must stop the Union army, get back his favorite engine, and win back Annabelle Lee.

Dad's Preview: This film initially flopped at the box office, however time has been very kind. Keaton himself was very proud of this work. I chase movie is a work of comedic genius. The stunts and effects are themselves choreographed motion picture art. It also semi-chronicles an actual event in history, called the Great Locomotive Chase. Today, many film historians and societies rank this comedy classic as one of the greatest films every made.

Buster Keaton Prod., Joseph M. Schenck Productions; United Artists