The Harder They Come

The Harder They Come (1972)

With a Piece in His Hand He Takes on the Man!

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.

Date of release
1972-08-01
TMDB
6.6 / 10 (131)
Runtime
1h 43m
Genres
Crime, Drama, Music
Director
Perry Henzell

Casting

  • 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
  • Clover Lewis — Market Woman
  • Elijah Chambers — Longa

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