Offering a fresh perspective on The General, arguably one of the most successful American films of the silent era, this insightful text analyses its initial critical reception and the thematic and stylistic characteristics of the film that made it difficult for critics to appreciate at the time, but led to its celebration by later generations.
Peter Kramer is Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at the University of East Anglia, UK. He has written and edited a number of books, including Screen Acting (1999), The Silent Cinema Reader (2003), The New Hollywood: From Bonnie and Clyde to Star Wars (2006), 2001: A Space Odyssey (2010) and Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (2014).
Acknowledgments.- Introduction.- 1. Family Affairs.- 2. A Trademark and Profits.- 3. The Appeal of Historical Drama.- 4. From Book to Film.- 5. A Film in Six Parts.-6. Love and War.- 7. Style, Spectacle and Story.- Conclusion.- Notes.- Credits.