The Harder They Come
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| The Harder They Come | |
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| Directed by | Perry Henzell |
| Produced by | Perry Henzell Chris Blackwell (exec.—uncredited) |
| Written by | Perry Henzell Trevor D. Rhone |
| Starring | Jimmy Cliff |
| Music by | Jimmy Cliff Desmond Dekker The Slickers |
| Cinematography | Peter Jessop David McDonald Franklyn St. Juste |
| Editing by | Seicland Anderson John Victor-Smith Richard White |
| Distributed by | New World Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 1972 (Venice Film Festival) February 8, 1973 (US) |
| Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | Jamaica |
| Language | English |
The Harder They Come is a 1972 Jamaican crime film directed by Perry Henzell.
The film stars reggae singer Jimmy Cliff, who plays Ivanhoe Martin, a character based on Rhyging, a real-life Jamaican criminal who achieved fame in the 1940s. Other major roles in the film were played by Janet Bartley (Elsa), Basil Keane (Preacher), the late Ras Daniel Hartman (Pedro), Beverly Anderson, who eventually married Michael Manley who became the Prime Minister of Jamaica (Upper St. Andrew Housewife), the late Bob Charlton (Hilton), Jamaican actor Volair Johnson (Pushcart Boy), and well known Jamaican comedians Ed 'Bim' Lewis (Photographer), and Aston 'Bam' Winter (drunken husband).
The Harder They Come was released in February 1973 in New York City by Roger Corman's New World Pictures to little attention. It became more popular when it was played to midnight audiences nationwide the following April. The film is referenced in the Clash songs "The Guns of Brixton" and "Safe European Home". In 2005, it was developed into a stage musical by the Theatre Royal Stratford East and UK Arts Productions in London. Adapted by Henzell, it opened on 25 March 2006. The soundtrack to the film is considered a breakthrough for reggae in the United States.
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[edit] Plot synopsis
Ivanhoe Martin is a poor Jamaican man in search of a job, before finally getting one as a reggae singer. Upon the verge of a hit record, he discovers the only way he can get a hit record is by signing away the rights. Eventually, Jose (played by Carl Bradshaw), one of the first people he met after he moved to Kingston, offers him an opportunity dealing marijuana. He turns to a life of crime and violence. There are two versions of the film—one with subtitles and one without—and each has a different ending.
In the version of the film without subtitles, the last ten minutes consist of Ivan swimming towards a speeding ship which would take him to safety. However, he can not grab onto the ladder dangled off the side, and he opens his eyes to find himself beached ashore. He sleeps in the shade of a tree then wakes, alerted to the presence of policemen with rifles. He comes out and lowers his revolvers, but the police shoot him many times and the film ends abruptly, cutting to the credits. He is presumed dead.
[edit] See also
- The Harder They Come (soundtrack)
- Rockers
- Countryman
- Dancehall Queen
- Third World Cop
- Shottas
- Midnight movies
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- The Harder They Come at the Internet Movie Database
- The Harder They Come at the TCM Movie Database
- The Harder They Come at Allmovie
- Criterion Collection essay by Michael Dare
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