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Watch free: full movie The General 1926
Prefer it restored and in HD? Rent or buy it
During the American Civil War, a Southern train driver is turned down by the army and dumped by his girlfriend, until Union spies steal his beloved locomotive, with her on board. What follows is one long chase by rail, there and back, with Buster Keaton performing stunts on moving trains that would never be allowed today. He never smiles, and he never needs to. The comedy comes from perfect timing and enormous physical risk, and the bridge collapse near the end used a real train. Critics now rank it among the greatest comedies ever made, though it flopped in 1926.
Watch it if you like action comedy, daring stunts, or want a silent film that's genuinely fun.
Why is it free?
Published in 1926, it is out of copyright in the United States: US copyright on films of that era lasted 95 years.
Copied from the Internet Archive, a non-profit library, with the soundtrack an uploader added removed, so you see the film as it was released. Verified 2026-11-01 and re-verified every week. Rights enquiries: hello@movietrailer.channel.
The General: your questions
How long is The General?
1h 19m: a short one, easy for a weeknight.
Is it legal to watch The General free?
Yes, in the United States. Published in 1926, it is out of copyright in the United States: US copyright on films of that era lasted 95 years. We only play it to US visitors because copyright rules differ between countries, and we show the plain original, never a restored or re-scored version.
Where can I stream The General?
Right here, free, if you're in the US (player above). For a sharper restored copy, rent or buy it on Prime Video or Blu-ray.
- Released
- 1926
- Runtime
- 1h 19m
- Directed by
- Buster Keaton, Clyde Bruckman
- Starring
- Buster Keaton, Marion Mack
- Genre
- Action, Adventure, Comedy
- Sound
- Silent film
