Why a Modern-Day Harold Lloyd Is Unthinkable by Wax Winter

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Film and Reading Review
Film: Buster Keaton in The General (1927)
Readings: The Demise of Physical Comedy by Richard Prody and Slapstick Last: Why a Modern-Day Harold Lloyd Is Unthinkable by Wax Winter
Central arguments
The film The General is a 1927 silent comedy movie that United Artists released. Clyde Bruckman directed the film with the help of Buster Keaton, who was featured as the main actor. The movie tells the story of Johnnie Gray (Buster Keaton). He is a faithful man to his job and to the woman he fell in love with, Annabelle Lee. Johnnie does everything in his power to make Annabelle happy and win her as his wife. The General explores faithfulness, history, and heroic acts. Johnnie is a hero who saves Annabelle from kidnappers. His faithfulness to the feeling of love he has for Annabelle is Johnnie’s driving force. The history in the film is evident because the American Civil War inspired its production (UHF Channel 58).
The readings are related to each other. They explore the disappearance of physical comedy and taking over by the screen and film comedy. Like in the case of The General, the readings explore why physical comedy is dangerous and losing interest in many artists and audiences. Film comedy easily convinces audiences as opposed to physical (Prody, 2; Winter, 2).
Cultural, historical, political, and social issues in the film
The movie The General comically brings out different cultural, historical, political, and social issues. Johnnie is determined to get Annabelle and bows to all her demands. This is a cultural trend that men should please a woman to marry her. Johnnie agrees to apply for a military job because that is what Annabelle wants. Sadly, most men do what women want because they want to please them. Cultural issues are related to social matters hence explored in the same context. The socio-cultural expectation is often that men are protectors and providers. When Annabelle is kidnapped, Johnnie works hard to rescue her. The historical issue is evident in the film through its scripting, setting, and production. The Locomotive Chase, a military raid in 1832 in Northern Georgia, inspired the film. The raid used a train called The General hence the use of the trains in the movie The General (UHF Channel 58). The movie explores this historical factor.
Themes
The film and the readings carry themes that define history. Some of the themes are related, while others take different approaches. In the film The General, the evident themes include heroism, history preservation, how society expects a man to behave, love, and faithfulness. Johnnie faces a crisis that, later in ...