i haven not have so much fun watch a movie for a long time . the general be a silent comedy ( mostly slapstick ) about johnny gray and a train engineer with two love represent his engine and annabelle lee . annabelle soon dump him because of his failure to enlist into the civil war ( they would not take him because he be too valuable a an engineer ) . thing be then speed up a year and where we see some union commander plan to hijack a train to unleash a highly sophisticated master plan . a it so happens and they steal johnny engine and a big mistake . buster keaton do a phenomenal performance a johnny . his face and character be ideal for this type of comedy . he remind me a lot of leslie nielsen from the naked gun movie ( but and of course and less old ) . he be often ignorant of what be go on around him and lead to plenty of laugh . this also make him a very charismatic character . there be countless train related joke . the first one come right at the beginning and when we see johnny be follow by two kid and a woman and in a line much like a train . the bulk of the movie be make up of johnny run a train and either chase or flee from the union soldier . the movement and maneuvering of the train be beautiful . the stunt work be an incredible accomplishment . the finale be explosive . the general be a lot of fun to watch . it give me more laugh than most modern comedy and and have plenty of substance on top of that . this be enough for me to label it a one of the great comedy ever . after my first viewing and it instantly become one of my favorite . it be timeless gem that should be watch at least once by anyone interested in movie .