Buster Keaton is a Confederate who tries to take back a train that has been stolen by the Yankees. This leads to all kinds of priceless physical comedy, often quite scary. It is nice to see Confederates portrayed as the good guys. Naturally, there is a girl, and Keaton is misunderstood by her and everyone else.
The producers of silent films attempted to maximize the possibilities of the medium with stories requiring less dialogue. Thus, it is not as hard to watch them as one might think. This movie would be an excellent entrance for those that are still holding back. The Three Stooges has nothing over this.
Just saw it. Wonderful. Especially for train lovers.