Strike the Tent

In 1860 Captain Robert Adams of South Carolina (Julian Adams) falls in love with Eveline McCord from Pennsylvania (Gwendolyn Edwards). Their challenges during the Civil War are chronicled. Eveline's brother and his wife are peripheral characters (Joshua Lindsey & Amy Redford), as is the comrade played by Eric Holloway.

Based on a true story, "The Last Confederate: The Story of Robert Adams" (2005), originally titled "Strike the Tent," is a Civil War story produced, written, and directed by the descendants of Robert and Eveline, which compelled critics to write it off as a 'vanity project.' The low budget (about $1 million) is comparable to "The Colt" (2005) and "Pharaoh's Army" (1995), but with a story akin to "Cold Mountain" (2003).

This is basically a Western transplanted to the Eastern Front of the Civil War. The tone is lyrical in a pleasant way that entrances the viewer, but the brutalities of combat are also depicted. Gwendolyn and Amy Redford (Robert's daughter) are beautiful and Adams makes for a convincing protagonist. The ironies of war are shown, e.g. The hero mercilessly mows down four Union soldiers and then is spared for unknown reasons by a Federalist.

The film runs 1 hour, 36 minutes, and was shot in South Carolina (Columbia & lower Richland County), North Carolina (Wilmington & another area), Georgia (Conyers) and Maryland (Hagerstown). Mickey Rooney and Tippi Hedren have small parts.

GRADE: B-

Strike the Tent is a beautifully shot film that captures the external and internal conflict of the civil war and a families history of the period. Julian Adams shows strong acting ability in portraying the story of his family and the tough choices that have to be made for love and country.

I enjoyed the pace of the movie and have to comment again on the impressive cinematography. I can't tell but if this was shot digitally and transfered kudos to the production team in the final print. The story tells how true love overcomes all obstacles in its way. The film effectively captures a country split ideologically, socially and geographically and the plight of South Carolinians protecting their home and lands from the onslaught of war, illness and tyranny. It depicts the weary soldiers seeking not only victory but revenge and the plunders of war. Tragic in its honest depiction of the sacrifices both armies and families had to endure. In the end, the love that is all but impossible is the only thing that will never die in this historical memoir. Thanks again for sharing this remarkable story of your family. I look forward to seeing the film again once it is released on DVD. I enjoyed this first effort and look forward to other projects from these promising film makers.

A noble cause in wanting to make this film by the family of John Adams, but uh boy, there are serious script flaws, lack of believability in some of the characters due to sub-par acting (by Julian Adams, mainly), continuity problems, and a wardrobe that at times looks like it came out of a cracker-jacks box. This film is billed as being filled with passion and being "explosive", according to one IMDb reviewer. I think dead people are more passionate and explosive! I don't know why this film is getting so many positive reviews, it's really not good at all. I'm only giving it 3 stars myself out of consideration for the family's desire to tell the story of their heritage (assuming it is all true, but I've found nothing on the history of Robert Adams anywhere else but in this film, so who knows how much of the movie is historically accurate).

Even if you're a civil war history buff, this film will likely barely hold your interest (if at all).

Sorry, Adams family. Nothing personal, I'm just calling it like I see it.

The story is based on a true person (although only a corporal in real life portrayed as a captain). The family connection of the writer and actors was appreciated. The movie had unnecessary cursing and a sex scene, all of which could have been omitted and the story would have been enhanced. These "modern" devices insult the imagination and taste of viewers like me. My Christian family could have enjoyed it without these elements. The story and action stalled about three quarters of the way through, kind of like a sermon gone too long.

Appreciated the inclusion of a "Copperhead" character, a Northerner who had sentiment for the Southern society and cause. There were a multitude of these "Southern sympathizers" throughout the North, but one would be hard-pressed to find such facts in history books. Good movie except for the elements already mentioned.

Because of my sympathy for the Cause, and a glowing review I had read elsewhere, I was prepared to love this movie, but I can't. I can recommend it, but with the following qualifications: It is a good story, but not well told. The principal problem is the story is chopped up into numerous flashbacks, to the point where the "unity of time" is lost. Not only is this mildly confusing at times, but it prevents the full power of the story from developing.

The acting is average at best. The script, surprisingly, does not seem to have much room for a wide range of emotions, but rather most scenes are executed with the same solemn sincerity. I wasn't yawning, but I was surprised by the lack of vitality in some scenes that really called for it.

The cinematography was very fine. The story was not greatly partisan; it could have made much more of Union Army atrocities against Southern civilians, but took the high road and chose to illustrate, but not dwell on them. It leaves me with a strong sense of the tragedy that was the War, and I think and hope that was one of the makers' main intentions. So it is successful on some levels.