Screengem: Keaton's Train in The General

Here's a piece I've written on The General for The Big Picture.

A masterpiece in both daring comic performance and narrative simplicity. We've all recently praised Mad Max: Fury Road for playing out a simple chase movie concept to maximum effect, and The General is the silent comedy equivalent.

A point I didn't make on that Big Picture piece: it's a bit disconcerting how we're on the side of the South in the American Civil War, when any film today wouldn't dare to portray them as anything other than the slavery-supporting baddies. Still, the politics is hardly relevant; it's all about that train.