The Harder They Come
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| The Harder They Come | |
|---|---|
| File:TheHarderTheyCome.jpg | |
| Directed by | Perry Henzell |
| Written by | Perry Henzell Trevor D. Rhone |
| Starring | Jimmy Cliff |
Release dates |  1972 (premiere at Venice Film Festival) February 8, 1973 |
Running time | 120 min. |
| Language | English |
The Harder They Come is a 1972 Jamaican crime film directed by Perry Henzell.
It 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. 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. He eventually turns to a life of violence and dealing marijuana. There are two versions of the film — one with subtitles and one without — and each has a different ending.
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 "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.
See also
- The Harder They Come (soundtrack)
- Rockers
- Countryman
- Dancehall Queen
- Third World Cop
- Shottas
- Midnight movies
External links
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