Ivanhoe Martin arrives in Kingston, Jamaica, looking for work and, after some initial struggles, lands a recording contract as a reggae singer. He records his first song, "The Harder They Come," but after a bitter dispute with a manipulative producer named Hilton, soon finds himself resorting to petty crime in order to pay the bills. He deals marijuana, kills some abusive cops and earns local folk hero status. Meanwhile, his record is topping the charts.
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Jimmy Cliff
Ivanhoe "Ivan" Martin
Janet Bartley
Elsa
Carl Bradshaw
Jose
Ras Daniel Hartman
Pedro
Basil Keane
Preacher
Bob Charlton
Hilton
Winston Stona
Detective Ray Jones
Lucia White
Mother
Volair Johnson
Pushcart Boy
Beverly Anderson
Housewife
Director
Perry Henzell
Tagline
"With a Piece in His Hand He Takes on the Man!"
Status
Released
Original Language
EN
Production
International Films
CinemaSerf
September 3, 2022
Firstly, a quick shout out for the new Garden Cinema in Holborn, London where I saw this recently. A small cinema, but it's great to see a new venue opening so give it a go if you are nearby. To the film, well that sees Jimmy Cliff as "Ivan" - a would-be reggae singer who manages to get himself a record deal with a fairly unscrupulous local producer. The song does OK, but he gets a pretty measly s...
r96sk
August 19, 2025
<em>'The Harder They Come'</em> is entertaining crime flick fare. Jimmy Cliff brings a solid lead performance and some excellent music, which is certainly this film's strongest element; the eponymous track and "Sweet And Dandy" being my personal picks. The other cast members play their respective parts well. I've not got much more to note. Good music, enjoyable plot and sturdy messaging. What e...
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