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Roaring Rails, The aka The General (short version)

Reel Number: 221525-01

Color: Black and White

Sound: SIL

Year / Date: 1920s

Country: USA

Location: Cottage Grove,Oregon

TC Begins: 20:01:14

TC Ends: 20:35:33

Duration: 00:34:19

The Roaring Rails aka The General (short version). LS of steam railroad train. The General w/ Buster Keaton as engineer. Western town, horse & buggy. Passengers w/ trunks on platform into station. Town street w/ boardwalk; men into recruiting office; Keaton refused; dejected beside engine, sits on driving rod as train into engine house. 20:04:37 Union Army encampment w/ tents. Gen. Thatcher & chief spy Anderson study map. Keaton by train w/ cars & passengers. Keaton’s girlfriend into box car & train is captured by Thatcher & spy etc. Driven off while Keaton is washing hands & runs after; puts speeder handcart on track & pumps off as men remove track rails. Keaton runs off; then on highwheel bicycle goes on chasing. 20:08:58 Men in engine cab change clothes. Keaton gets to encampment & soldiers go after the train in another but engine leaves w/o them. Keaton pulls large cannon. Catches up to them watering the engine. Sets up cannon but barrel drops, aiming for Keaton on locomotive. 20:13:34 Keaton tries to throw tie off tracks; caught on cow catcher of train. Switches engine but loses traction & goes without him Gag. Thru covered bridge pushing freight car on fire. Past soldiers going other direction on foot, horseback & wagons. 20:17:00 Keaton in cab thinking. Under large trestle as others on top throw down timbers. Keaton hides in woods during heavy rain. Finds empty house; inside thru window. Enemy officers. He knocks out guard, steals uniform. Finds military camp & loading supplies on to The General; steals engine & chase begins; he pulls down telegraph lines. Chased by another engine & soldiers. 20:21:51 Keaton chops into boxcar, discovers girl friend tied up. They stop for firewood & he oads rails from fence as girl friend puts cable across rails as other train comes into view. Knocks back of box car onto tracks, then drums & crates as othres remove & chase. 20:27:02 Stop for water but pipe comes off tank. Engine gets away & heads down hill. He cuts across & almost catches up. Other engines onto siding. 20:30:08 Keaton w/ engine on trestle & wood to set it on fire using kerosene from engine light. Lights it prematurely. Other train stuck w/ broken switch. Reinforcements arrive on horseback; engines acros trestle & crashes into river. Battle between Union & Confederates across river. Blow up dam. Keaton w/ Confederate flag. Silent Movie; Early steam trains; Gags; American Civil War; Comedy; NOTE: sound track can NOT be used.

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