50 Greatest Action Movies Of All Time

20. The General (1926)

The General
United Artists

By far the oldest movie on this list, Buster Keaton's silent classic is one of the earliest examples of a studio action movie; the $750,000 budget made it one of the most expensive projects ever made at the time, headlined by a big-name star and featuring no shortage of death-defying stunts.

With less emphasis on comedy that many of his previous efforts, audience reaction was mixed but The General holds up today thanks to a bare-bones narrative that allowed Keaton to do what he did best; provide a string of thrilling, inventive and jaw-dropping physical feats all performed by the man himself.

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