The General (G) 100th Anniversary PRESENTED IN 35MM FILM

The General (G, 1926) 100th Anniversary Presented in 35mm Film by The Revival House Perth in partnership with RAC

The General proudly presented by RAC. Help celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Roadside Assistance in WA with a 35mm film presentation of the 1926 classic, The General, a vintage car display and complimentary pizza, beverages and lolly bags.

In the final days of the American Civil War, Johnnie Gray (Buster Keaton) is a locomotive engineer for the Western & Atlantic Railroad who loves two things: his engine, The General, and his sweetheart Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack). When war breaks out, Annabelle expects Johnnie to enlist, but the Confederate Army rejects him—they need him more as an engineer than a soldier. Annabelle, not knowing this, believes him a coward and refuses to speak to him until he's in uniform. When Union spies steal The General with Annabelle accidentally trapped aboard, Johnnie pursues them alone through enemy territory on another locomotive. What follows is an epic chase across the South as Johnnie attempts to rescue both his engine and his girl, inadvertently becoming a hero and uncovering Union battle plans in the process.

Buster Keaton co-directs and stars in this 1926 silent masterpiece that remains one of cinema's greatest action comedies. The film's elaborate train sequences—shot practically with real locomotives—create genuine thrills alongside perfectly timed physical comedy. Keaton's deadpan expression never wavers as he performs death-defying stunts, including the famous scene where a real train plunges through a burning bridge into a river. The film's Civil War setting provides both scope and historical detail, with Keaton staging convincing battle sequences on an epic scale. While initially a commercial failure, The General has been recognized as a landmark achievement in visual storytelling, action choreography, and comedic timing. Keaton's athleticism and the film's ambitious practical effects remain astonishing a century later.

Original format and audio experience of this film faithfully reproduced by The Revival House. Presented in 35mm film unless noted otherwise.

When: Wednesday, June 3rd at 7:20PM
Where: The Revival House at the Como Theatre
Rating: G (The content is very mild in impact)

Keaton's silent masterpiece combines epic train chases with perfect physical comedy - experience this landmark film in 35mm film.

Presented by: The Revival House Perth and RAC