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The Harder They Come (1972)

R | | Crime, Drama, Music | 5 August 1977 (Denmark)
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Wishing to become a successful Reggae singer, a young Jamaican man finds himself tied to corrupt record producers and drug pushers.

Director:

Perry Henzell

Writers:

Perry Henzell, Trevor D. Rhone

Stars:

Jimmy Cliff, Janet Bartley, Carl Bradshaw | See full cast & crew »
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The Harder They Come
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The Harder They Come
Crime | Drama | Music
Not yet released

A remake of the 1972 film, where an aspiring Reggae singer gets tangled up in dangerous business, becoming Jamiaca's most-wanted man in the process.

Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jimmy Cliff ... Ivanhoe "Ivan" Martin
Janet Bartley Janet Bartley ... Elsa
Carl Bradshaw Carl Bradshaw ... Jose Smith
Ras Daniel Hartman Ras Daniel Hartman ... Pedro
Basil Keane Basil Keane ... Preacher
Bob Charlton Bob Charlton ... Hilton
Winston Stona Winston Stona ... Detective Ray Jones
Lucia White Lucia White ... Mother
Volair Johnson Volair Johnson ... Pushcart Boy
Beverly Anderson Beverly Anderson ... Housewife
Clover Lewis Clover Lewis ... Market Woman
Elijah Chambers Elijah Chambers ... Longa
Prince Buster Prince Buster ... DJ at Dance
Ed 'Bim' Lewis Ed 'Bim' Lewis ... Photographer
Bobby Loban Bobby Loban ... Fitz
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

With dreams of becoming a successful Reggae singer, a young Jamaican man finds corruption from his record producers and the drug pushers they're connected to. Rather than fail his dreams Ivan lets nothing stand in his way, not even the law. Written by Daniel Jos. Leary

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

reggae | singer | marijuana | jamaica | urban setting | See All (36) »

Taglines:

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

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Music

Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
Edit

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook | Official site

Country:

Jamaica

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 August 1977 (Denmark) See more »

Also Known As:

The Harder They Come See more »

Filming Locations:

Jamaica

Company Credits

Production Co:

International Films,Xenon Pictures See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (TV)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

First feature film produced in Jamaica. See more »

Quotes

DJ: You know, this is show *business*, Baby. No business, no show!
See more »

Connections

Featured in Reggae: The Story of Jamaican Music (2002) See more »

Soundtracks

Sweet and Dandy
Performed by Toots & The Maytals
Composed by Fredric Hibbert aka Toots Hibbert
See more »

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User Reviews

slightly pornographic title, but great film!
13 December 2001 | by sweetty0924 – See all my reviews

I was a recent immigrant from the caribbean back in 1973 when this film was released. I was sooo thrilled when it met with such good reviews and commercial success. Years later, as an adult, I had a viewing party for some friends who wanted to see, in general, a different genre of film, and in particular, caribbean films (I highly recommend; "Dancehall Queen, and "The Lunatic" for those interested in island fare.) One friend saw the title and thought it was a "blue" movie. After what seemed like hours of laughter, we settled in to watch. They truly enjoyed it, and I (now grown,) could understand the subtleties and layers sometimes lost on a younger viewer. The gritty look of the film added to and enhanced the entire project. I have had occasion to view it a few more times since then, and it never loses its appeal. I also cry every time I hear Jimmy Cliff sing "White Cliffs of Dover." 'Cross many rivers' if you have to, but see this film.
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