Overview
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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Reviews
CinemaSerf
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 share. Frustrated - and broke - he takes to dealing dope and soon falls foul of the la...
Sep 03, 2022r96sk
<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 else is needed? 8/10, for me.
Aug 19, 2025
