The 1926 film “General” was the only silent film among the ten films. This explosion scene in the film cost 42,000 US dollars (equivalent to more than 500,000 today), which was a huge sum at the time, and the scene became the most expensive scene in the silent film history.
To film the scene, Keaton bought a real antique train and let it blow up as it crossed a bridge. All of this is 100% real shooting, and the crew has only one chance to complete the scene.
It is said that the train whistle issued a sad trombone, echoing this disastrous spectacle. A dummy was placed in the front control room to create the illusion that the locomotive was killed.
When the damaged dummy’s head floated down with steam, more than one woman in the crowd was stunned on the spot. Because the crew did not inform the actor about the train disaster in advance.
