A classic silent movie made in 1926. I saw it with live keyboard accompaniment.
On the outbreak of the American Civil War, train-driver Johnny tries to enlist for the South but is rejected. A year later, when both his girlfriend and his train are stolen by Union soldiers, Johnny chases them deep into enemy territory in a rescue attempt.
It’s a comedy played by Keaton with his usual dead-pan face. It is remarkable for the stunts which were performed live on real trains, eschewing the use of miniatures and back projection. Many of them are very clever, some extraordinary and more than a few provoked me to laugh out loud.
Initially, the film was not well reviewed and failed to make a profit. More recently it has had a better reception. Orson Welles said it was “perhaps the greatest film ever made.” The BFI’s monthly magazine Sight & Sound rated it 8th in 1972 and 10th in 1982 in a poll of the greatest films ever made. It is presently rated 8.1/10 by IMDb and scoring 92% on both the tomatometer and the popcornmeter. I’d give it 5/5 stars.
On the outbreak of the American Civil War, train-driver Johnny tries to enlist for the South but is rejected. A year later, when both his girlfriend and his train are stolen by Union soldiers, Johnny chases them deep into enemy territory in a rescue attempt.
It’s a comedy played by Keaton with his usual dead-pan face. It is remarkable for the stunts which were performed live on real trains, eschewing the use of miniatures and back projection. Many of them are very clever, some extraordinary and more than a few provoked me to laugh out loud.
Initially, the film was not well reviewed and failed to make a profit. More recently it has had a better reception. Orson Welles said it was “perhaps the greatest film ever made.” The BFI’s monthly magazine Sight & Sound rated it 8th in 1972 and 10th in 1982 in a poll of the greatest films ever made. It is presently rated 8.1/10 by IMDb and scoring 92% on both the tomatometer and the popcornmeter. I’d give it 5/5 stars.
I saw this film on 3rd October 2025 at a matinee performance at the Meads Hall in Eastbourne.
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