A new method, called the $QZ$ algorithm, is presented for the solution of the matrix eigenvalue problem $Ax = \lambda Bx$ with general square matrices A and B. Particular attention is paid to the degeneracies which result when B is singular. No inversions of B or its submatrices are used. The algorithm is a generalization of the $QR$ algorithm, and reduces to it when $B = I$. Problems involving higher powers of $\lambda $ are also mentioned.