Sunday, February 2, 2014
Heroes Anyone?
In the movie The General Johnnie Gray, a simple engineer,tries to win the heart of his girlfriend by enlisting in the army. Although he is refused, he eventually takes on a group of Northern soldiers who hijack his train. Not only does he rescue his beloved Anabelle (and General), but he also helps defeat a Northern army in battle. Yet, his methods are hardly standard derring-do. Is Johnnie just lucky or a true hero? Does this film endorse standard ideas of military heroism or make fun of them? Or does this movie redefine a hero?What does this movie tell us about heroism?
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The iconic film, The General, portrays different aspects of heroism throughout and discusses different qualities that define a true hero; Johnnie is depicted as a hero through his countless courageous and intelligent actions even though he is also aided by quite a few strokes of luck throughout the film. For example, after the Northern soldiers steal the train, The General, Johnnie without any other soldiers to help him pursues the thieves. This courageous act is the first of many Johnnie performs throughout the film that helps to classify him as a hero. Additionally, he outsmarts the Northern soldiers, which, along with courage, is another quality often times synonymous with heroism. An example of this intelligence is when he formulates and executes the plan with Annabelle to steal The General back from the Northern troops. Johnnie tricks every single soldier and military member he passes into thinking that he is a Northern soldier and therefore with Annabelle’s help is able to steal the train. These courageous and clever acts are the main qualities that classify him as a hero. While Johnnie had incredible amounts of strokes of luck, such as when the Northern military leaders did not realize that he was hiding under the table right by their feet, the feats that he was able to accomplish cannot be valued less because of some luck. While presenting Johnnie as a hero, The General practically mocks military heroism, as the Northern military failed almost entirely because of a single, ordinary man who ruined their plan and the Southern army would have been attacked without notice if it were not for Johnnie. This clueless and almost helpless depiction of the army is quite unique, especially considering all the praise soldiers were receiving in the early 1900s. All in all, The General primarily depicts Johnnie as a hero whose feats were merely helped by some luck, while simultaneously mocking military heroism.
ReplyDeleteJohnnie Gray in The General is extremely lucky. The vast majority of the things that he accomplished had absolutely nothing to do with any skill on his part, but mostly just blind luck. At the very beginning of the movie, Johnnie is chasing the Northern spies on his train as they try to prevent him from pursuing them. The spies remove a train car from their locomotive and use it to slow down Johnnie’s train, but in a comedic turn of random events, the train car is dislodged from the track after hitting a piece of debris that the spies placed on the track without Johnnie even noticing. A few minutes later a mortar attached to the back of his train is accidentally unattached from Johnnie’s train and turns to face directly at him. Completely randomly and with no effort on the part of Johnnie, the mortar goes off right when the General turns a corner and the other train ends up directly in front of it. In one of Johnnie’s most important moments, he fires a cannon during a battle between the Northerners and Southerners, destroying the dam and essentially winning the battle. Johnnie did not aim the cannon at all. Quite frankly it was a miracle that it didn’t land on him or someone nearby. The General uses Johnnie’s lucky streak to mock the military heroes involved with the war. His victory through blatant buffoonery shows that despite the military generals have experience and power, they are not really all that important to the war effort. During the battle, Johnnie is seen emulating the actions of the confederate general, emphasizing the fact that anyone can do the same thing. The General does not really try to redefine heroism, but is more rather used as a critique of the credit attributed to those in charge rather than those doing the actual work.
ReplyDeleteWithin the American society during the Civil War, sectional pride runs rampant in the Southern states, newly seceded. The southerners depicted in this film at the beginning, especially during the enlistment scene, value those men who offer themselves up to fight for their Southern war of life. Pride and honor reside in that grey uniform, and those who do not wear it are seen as cowardly. Johnnie Gray, while seeking enlistment is denied due to his engineering abilities. Thus begins the films redefinition of heroism and comedic jabs at the importance and valiance of a military man. Though Johnnie is willing, he is seen as a more viable asset as an engineer, this in and of itself shows how a different kind of profession is being prized. Additionally, Johnnie’s various escapades on the rails demonstrate how, a uniform does not necessarily define a hero, but rather a combination of good fortune and cunning. Johnnie’s usage of his sharp mind rather than employment of brute force prove to be his salvation, and the further salvation of the Southern army who in the end behind Johnnie defeat the progressing Northern troops. The film overall perpetuates a theme of a rising under-dog, Johnnie, coming to the rescue and becoming the hero, while in turn redefining what it means to be a hero.
ReplyDeleteTo determine if Johnnie is a hero would depend on one’s definition of hero, or idea of what a hero is or should be. I believe that a hero is someone who shows great bravery and tries to save someone from danger. The hero put’s themselves in danger in order to save this person. Based on this idea of what hero should be, I believe that Johnnie is actually a hero. He put his own life in danger by going after Annabelle Lee after she was kidnapped by the northerners. This movie makes fun of the standard idea of military heroism. In the movie, Johnnie was able to perform great feats by himself against an army of northerners. Both when he was chasing them for The General and when they were chasing him. The movie also portrays the army to be quite foolish sometimes too, such as when Johnnie temporarily mess with the train tracks so the northerners would be delayed when chasing him. The higher ranks of people of the northern army all gathered around the problem and couldn’t figure out how to fix it. However, after a while of them looking at it, a more average guy takes a look at the problem, hits it a bit with an object and quickly fixed the problem. This pokes fun at military people in this scene because even though they are higher ranks, they could not solve what turned out to be a simple problem in the end. The movie changes the idea of heroism. It portrays the idea that a hero could come in all different kinds of shapes and sizes. In this movie, the hero was the small engineer that was not accepted into the army at first, but he later proves that he was more of a hero than anyone expected him to be.
ReplyDeleteIn Buster Keaton’s, The General, many of the themes of southern culture that are presented are presented in jest. But the main theme that the movie makes fun of is that of heroism. While Johnnie Gray, the main character, does manage to fit the endgame of a hero (i.e. gets the girl, wins the war, etc.) he gets there through no real fault of his own. Almost all of his actions are complete failures and seems to only truly reach success through sheer luck. Take for example, Johnnie’s attempt to shoot a cannon at the union troops on the train ahead of him. His first attempt is a complete failure, the cannon ball lands in the engine car, 10 feet in front of the cannon. His second attempt nearly ends in disaster, he puts in an entire can of gunpowder and the cannon ends up tilting down, aiming at him. However, the train hits a curve at just the right second and the cannon ends up being aimed perfectly at the union train. Another example is when Johnnie is trying to get the cannon troops to fire and they keep getting shot. Eventually he accidently flings his sword and by complete chance manages to hit and kill the sniper. The level of luck that plays a part in Johnnie Gray’s successes is commentary on the concept of heroism and how anyone can be a “hero”.
ReplyDeleteJohnnie is a true hero.
ReplyDeleteThe General is mocking not only the ridiculousness of the army, but also the whole "alpha male" mindset entirely. One does not need to be macho, or the manliest of men to be a true hero. Johnnie has a pure heart and genuine motives to save the two things he loves. His dedication, determination, and passion are the traits that make him heroic.
Luck may have been on his side, but that was only a small part of Johnnie's success. As soon as the South took his engine, he ran after it, grabbed a rail road cart, and wouldn't stop until he got it back. He went into enemy lines and could have lost his life or been captured very easily, but his bravery surpassed his fears. So maybe Johnnie was lucky, luck was on the side of the hero.
This movie absolutely redefines the definition of a hero, assuming that the previous definition had to do with the mannish stereotype often associated with heroism. One does not need to be muscular, or drip with masculinity to be a hero. It's the simple purer things that really matter. Enlisting in the army does not automatically make you heroic; the real reason why soldiers are often viewed as heroes is because of their bravery and their dedication to a cause (their country in this instance). Johnnie is brave. And dedicated. I believe that it's the traits you have that make you a hero, not the things you do.
The General, although a silent film proves to be extremely humorous- part of its humor is through mocking military tactics. Realistically, spying or eavesdropping on a military would be an extremely serious and risky task. Johnnie accomplishes this by simply hiding under a table, and avoiding flailing legs. His facial expressions and the overall situation are funny, but completely unrealistic. Another example is when Johnnie saves the day by destroying a dam, and flooding out union soldiers. He shoots a cannon ball into the air, which accidently hits the dam, but he really had no intent of doing so. Nowadays we are aware of what it is like to be in the military, but back then there probably wasn’t much footage of it- possibly convincing some that this movie represents what war is actually like. These examples mock battles by suggesting war is more of a joke, and you can accomplish victory with minimal efforts. It does not represent the seriousness and devastation involved with war. Johnnie gets the job done in a funny way, redefining what a hero is. Johnnie redefines a hero by suggesting that a hero does not have to be completely serious, and that humor can be incorporated into a hero’s tasks. The typical hero- such as batman or superman, have never been thought of as funny movies. Johnnie differs from them because he saves the day through luck, and amusing acts, rather than his skills and capabilities. It also suggests that a hero doesn’t need to have a label- it can be any ordinary person. Usually people think iconic people are heroes, such as batman, or the commander of an army, but Johnnie as an underdog proves that anyone can save the day.
ReplyDeleteThe movie The General has an average train engineer take on a group of Northern soldiers and rescues his true love. Some people may claim this movie changed the way heroes were perceived, but instead it just opened everybody’s eyes that anybody could make a difference. A hero in a movie about war does not have to be a soldier or commanding officer like most movies. The main character Johnnie proves that anyone determined to help can make this difference. Although he accidentally kills his opponent, Johnnie becomes the hero of the movie for defeating the Northern army and saving Annabelle.
ReplyDeleteThis movie also pokes fun of the military leaders at the time that did not fight, but instead stood their barking orders. The higher leaders plan the attacks and stand back and watch their soldiers fight what they planned. Johnnie stands beneath a high-ranking official on a horse mimicking him with the sword he found. He is showing that their job bossing people around is not as hard as they make it seem. The General proves that somebody who had no military experience was able to make a major impact on the Civil War while the high-ranking military official was off pointing his sword and telling others what to do instead of doing it himself.
Jonas explains in his comment that Johnnie becomes a hero through no fault of his own, and essentially is just always in the right place at the right time. I tend to disagree with him, as I think the true test of a hero is courage, and whether or not a hero stands up for what he/she believes in. Now Johnnie may not have been a typical hero, defined by the times, because not everything he did was a “patriotic” act. For instance, the reason he wanted to join the war was not solely to support the south, but also because his fiancée, Annabelle, refused to speak to him if he didn’t. Then, he gives chase to the train taken by Union soldiers not because he is trying to defeat the North, but because Annabelle has been taken as an inadvertent prisoner. While some may argue he was lucky to be in the situation to save Annabelle as he was hiding under a table when she is brought into the room, it was simply because he showed courage and gave chase in the first place, and then once again when he knocks out both guards and frees Annabelle. Not only does Johnnie fight to protect Annabelle, whom he loves so dearly, but he also sticks out his neck for his second love, his train The General. When he sees The General in a Union encampment, he again shows courage by devising a plan not only to steal The General back, but also to warn the South of an impending attack. I don’t think this movie endorses the idea of military heroism, because not everything Johnnie does is to support his side (in this case, the seceded south). Instead, an average guy who is simply fighting for who/what he loves (Annabelle and the train) can be successful by showing bravery and courage, and that is exactly what Johnnie does. By redefining what a hero is, not always having to be a patriot, I think Johnnie is a true hero by fighting for what he believes in.
ReplyDeleteJohnnie Gray is the complete opposite of what one would imagine as a hero. He is weak, uncoordinated, not very observant, train engineer yet through his bumbling he is still able to save his girlfriend, thwart the Northern spies, and help defeat the Northern troops in battle. The General makes fun of the idea of military heroism showing that anyone can be a hero with a bit of luck and intelligence . An example of this is in the train chase, the northern soldiers think that they are being followed by a whole groups of southern soldiers after Johnnie accidentally fires the cannon at the right moment to hit the back of the other train. They only realize it is one person chasing them when they pass over Johnnie’s train on a bridge. It would be expected that the well trained northern spies should be able to easily handle a simple train engineer yet it appears that they are out matched by Johnnie’s blunders. This film redefines who can be a hero. Instead of having the stereotypical military hero, The General defines the ordinary hero. Another jab at the idea of military heroism can be seen in how the Northern generals are portrayed. They appear to be just as clumsy as Johnnie but with out his intelligence. This can be seen in how they try to fix the bent railroad switch. The generals attempt many different ways of bending the switch back into place but they are unable to do it, then a common man walks over an easily fixes it in thirty seconds. It shows how the common person is equal if not better than the well trained soldier.
ReplyDeleteIt seems as if the the movie The General completely makes fun of what a typical hero is. Rather than being a strong, macho-man, Johnnie Gray is a small, soft-spoken engineer from the south who gets lucky in his escape. Johnnie is initially denied from joining the army, though through a series of fortunate events, he ends up warning the south about the north's plans. This means that that not only is the standard notion of a hero mocked, it also shows that heroism can sometimes be achieved by luck. In the final scene, Johnnie throws a weapon up in the sky and kills a skilled northern opponent. He then fires a cannon up straight into the sky, which somehow ends up causing a troop of soldiers to drown. His success mocks the traditional expectations of a hero as somehow he is the most successful soldier in the battle. It is also comical that a person that wasn't even selected to be in the war ultimately did so well. Indeed, The General completely dismantles the expectations of heroism.
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ReplyDelete“The General” is an exhilarating film that illustrates the expected role of men in society. In order to remain in his relationship, Johnnie Gray is forced to become something he’s not and register for the Army. This act alone shows the responsibility that a man must undertake in order to be respected in society. Although he wasn’t initially cut out to become a solider, Johnnie quickly had to overcome his denial and regain his courage to take back his stolen train. Throughout this endeavor Johnnie is credited for heroic actions that in actuality should be accredited to luck. Johnnie made questionable decisions that could have very well killed him. For example when he is chasing down the guys who stole his train he intended to shoot the cannon at the thief’s on the other ship but instead altered the aim of the cannon to aim at him directly. In this instance it is clear that the cannon should shoot him and his train but instead it goes around the bend and hits the thieves. This situation is pure luck and he should not be credited for what happened. I believe this movie is more for the comedy rather than illustrating a true hero. I believe if anything, it shows the perseverance that Johnnie showed to regain his property and illustrated that he stood up for himself and his pride. This movie exemplifies Johnnie Gray’s personal development and proves that if you stand for your own beliefs you can come out successful in the in.
"The General", underneath its silliness and humor is clearly a criticism on what we view as heroes.Johnnie Gray is a hero because he gets lucky so many times. That luck leads to acts that are viewed as "heroic", and thus he is given a high rank in the military. That final piece could also be a criticism on the Southern army. Keaton himself was from Indiana, so he is perhaps saying that the only reason the Confederates had any success in the war at all was because they had very good fortune. Many were confused by Keaton's protagonist being a Confederate soldier, but the answer lies in the soldier's actions (or mistakes).
ReplyDeleteIn "The General", Johnnie Gray is not necessarily a true hero, but more of a mock of what a true American hero is. This film is a criticism of american society at the time, especially in the south. As Benson stated, Keaton is from Indiana, a northern state at the time of the war, so it is only fair that this film is a bias towards the north. Johnnie is portrayed as a disappointment in the beginning of the film because he was not enlisted in the army; even though he was not at fault for such action. He is shunned by his lover, and then through his common acts of idiocy and absent mindedness encounters his good friend, luck. He has good intentions at heart, but in no way does that make him a hero. He is more of a sympathetic hero. His acts of courage are not because of his wit or strength, but because of luck. He connects with the audience, and you root for him as you would a child accomplishing a simple task.
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