The General is a 1926 english-language Action Adventure motion picture directed by Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton and produced by Joseph Schenck and Buster Keaton under the banner of Buster Keaton Productions in collaboration with Joseph M. Schenck Productions. It was inspired by the Great Locomotive Chase, a true story of an event that occurred during the American Civil War. The general stars Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley, Frederick Vroom, Charles Henry Smith and Jean Woodward. The screenplay is written by Al Boasberg, Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton, Charles Henry Smith and Paul Gerard Smith which is inspired from The Great Locomotive Chase 1863 memoir Union soldier by William Pittenger. The music was composed by William P. Perry along with Carl Davis, Robert Israel, Baudime Jam, Joe Hisaishi, Timothy Brock and Angelin Fonda. Cinematography was done by Bert Haines and Devereaux Jennings and editing by Buster Keaton and Sherman Kell. The film has a running time of 75 minutes. It was released on 2nd January 1927 and it received positive reviews from critics when it was released. The General was made on a budget of $0 million and at the box office it grossed only $0 million. Distribution rights for the film were acquired by United Artists. It was inspired by the Great Locomotive Chase, a true story of an event that occurred during the American Civil War.