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plified in other films supports the conjecture that this is something we can
plausibly designate as a concern of Keaton s, based of the standard critical
assumption that there is some constancy of theme from one work to the next
in an artist s oeuvre. My selection of supporting examples of adaptability images
60 Themes of The General
has not just been a conveniently chosen sample that battens on insignificant
moments in Keaton in order to serve my case. To be sure, the sequences
from Steamboat Bill Jr., The Navigator, and College that we have explicated are
among the most important sequences in those works.
Emboldened by our successes so far we might hazard speculation on an
overall model for dealing thematically with much of Keaton. We can note
that both in the case of Steamboat Bill Jr. and College the character s moments
of insight and adaptability occur at moments of narrative heroism. We may
interpret this conjunction as a celebration by Keaton of human adaptability.
One might further note that this valorization of skill and judgment often reaches
extremes in Keaton, that is, characters often perform extraordinary adapta-
tions. Within the category of feats of superadaptability, we find what David
Robinson has called Keaton s trajectories,26 that is, runs such as those that
end the Roman sequence in Three Ages, Seven Chances, and College. In these
sequences match-cutting facilitates the production of a cinematic image of
astounding speed, judgment, and dexterity. Because shot segments of move-
ments are being joined together, the composite picture is of sustained con-
tinuous movement. It is as if Keaton runs for miles without breaking stride
whereas, of course, he is actually only running for several hundred feet at a
time. The appearance is of virtually superhuman alertness and adaptability
capable of assimilating every obstacle of the environment into breathtaking,
unbroken vectors of movement across awesome steeplechases.
From the above, we see that adaptability can even provide an explication
of Keaton s famous dashes. This suggests that the model we have devel-
oped for analyzing The General may supply the basis for an overall model of
Keaton s work. We do not take it that we have demonstrated the viability of
this model for all of Keaton s work. However, I believe that the fact that our
iconographic analysis of images of The General points to a possible, overall
thematic model for Keaton, is a good sign that our model has managed to
isolate something important in Keaton. One expects that the themes that are
important in The General should appear in other works as well.
Concrete Intelligence in The General
The proposed model for explaining the imagery in The General considers
it as basically concerned with the subject matter of concrete intelligence
characterized as adaptability. Keaton approaches this material from two
directions, one positive and one negative. His character is always involved in
Themes of The General 61
a process of adaptation, sometimes successfully and other times disastrously.
Intelligence is the crucial determinant. Where the character is dimwitted, he
fails. Modes of dimwittedness include fixation, inattention, and automatism.
All these involve a rigid and unresponsive attitude to the environment. The
contrary of this is intelligence, which involves insight, skill, and judgment.
All these involve an alert and attentive attitude toward the environment.
The General seems to be an artistic meditation, through exemplification, of
the ramifications of these mental aptitudes for adaptation. In some Keaton
films, like College and Steamboat Bill Jr., the unsuccessful and successful
adaptability actions are organized by the narrative structure according to a
maturation process: after reels of ineptitude the character finally superadapts.
Here, adaptation coincides with a heroic moment in the film, thereby
ennobling adaptability. The General has something of this progression, but
it is not as clear-cut. Johnnie has successes and failures throughout the film; [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]