Inspired by and very loosely based on an actual Civil War incident, this may not be Keaton's best work but it shows what a comedic genius he was. OK, the sight of the Confederate battle flag being waved in victory might be politically incorrect today or prove offensive to some but watch Keaton at work. He masters every form of comedy in the film: slapstick, sight gags, pratfalls, double takes and innuendo. His timing is perfect. He does his own stunts and one wonders how he survived what he did. And Marion Mack, his female costar, is superb as the delicate southern belle. The scene of her sweeping the locomotive is a gem. This film has made me a huge fan of the late Mr Keaton, a true giant of comedy. I loved it!

this is one of the Classic Buster Keaton films, and has to be in anyone's collection. The comedy is grand, and everything works superbly well. This is a great introduction to Silent film comedy if you're not yet a Silent film buff, and it's great for the kids as well, so if you need a film that can really be fun to watch with the whole dang 'family unit', or just by yourself, you can't miss with this one...