The General Review (1926) — 89% Celluloid Score
Directed by Clyde Bruckman & Buster Keaton · 1926 ·
The General (1926) earns a 89% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.
Calculated from 4 available inputs: Celluloid editorial rating, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb. Audience sentiment is shown separately and never changes the composite. See how we calculate scores.
4-input transparent breakdown
Theatrical release Where to watch
- Prime Video
- fuboTV
- MGM+
Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home
Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home
Where to watch The General by country
| Country | Streaming on |
|---|---|
| Nigeria | Prime Video |
| United Kingdom | Prime Video, MUBI |
| United States | Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ |
Subscription availability, refreshed from TMDB. Rental and purchase options may differ.
Why this score?
- Celluloid's editorial rating is exceptional (93/100).
- Audiences widely enjoyed it (91%).
- Metascore signals universal acclaim (97/100).
- Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4.3/5).
- IMDb users score it 8.1/10.
Best for
- Viewers who want a well-regarded comedy, war, romance pick
- Short runtime — easy weeknight watch
Not ideal for
Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy
Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
Is The General worth watching?
Yes — The General earns a 89% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.
Celluloid Verdict
Buster Keaton’s Civil War chase comedy is the silent era’s great action picture — every gag engineered, performed and paid off in a single unbroken piece of craft.
Celluloid editorial verdict
Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.
What is The General about?
During America’s Civil War, Union spies steal engineer Johnny Gray's beloved locomotive, 'The General'—with Johnnie's lady love aboard an attached boxcar—and he single-handedly must do all in his power to both get The General back and to rescue Annabelle.
Watch the Trailer
Critic Reviews
The General (1926) Review
★★★★☆
Clyde Bruckman & Buster Keaton's The General (1926) remains a defining Comedy landmark from United States, with scores that still shape how audiences discover the title.
Essential viewing — a certified classic.
The General stills
Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.
Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.
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