the general clearly rank at the top of keaton work in silent film . this movie be eerily beautiful and funny and evoke what may be film close version of what the civil war be really like . by the way and the story be base in truth . keaton do other solid work before and after the general . but this be his best . check out the scene in which he on the train . the water spout douse him with water and he look into the sky to see if it rain . or when he throw the chunk of wood at the cannon . very simple and very memorable .