The Harder They Come

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.

Jimmy Cliff comes to the city with dreams of becoming a recording star. It's a tough racket and he sells the rights to his first record for $20 -- Jamaican dollars. He falls into the ganja trade. When the authorities, at the urging of the United States, bears down, and Cliff withholds the protection money he's been paying. When the higher-ups bear down, he goes on a spree, and the notoriety puts his record on the hit parade.

It's a very good movie, except for a lot of ancillary issues. It was the first movie for Cliff, for the director, and for a Jamaican movie in the patois. It also has a fine musical score, including some hits by Cliff and his band, including the title song and "You Can Get It If You Really Want." It played internationally, and did very well; its view of Jamaica and Jamaicans remains unique to this day.

I had heard about this film long before I ever saw it. I had heard that it was banned in it's home country of Jamaica due to it's possibility of inciting youths to "hooliganism". I had also heard it had great music and so I picked up the movie soundtrack on LP and enjoyed every song on it. It took video for me to finally see this movie years later and I enjoyed it very much. The movie puts you right in the middle of unfamiliar territory from the start, a busload of Jamaican country people coming into town, with their heavy accents, this is one of the few English movies to have been given english subtitles. From this setting you are taken into the life and ambitions of Ivan Martin, a man willing to stop at nothing to achieve success as a reggae star. He makes it, but there is a high cost. Great music, great performances, including a rare look at Prince Buster DJing a party. If you are a reggae fan, particularly early ska, rocksteady and pre-Bob Marley, this is a movie for you.

the harder they come, a jamaican experience in watching this film. A partially true story of a infamous gunman (rygin) being chased all the the way to the sandy shores and cut down in a hail of bullets. Shows also the corrupt side of the music industry. I remember when this movie was at the theaters but was too young to see it then. Score 7 out of 10 as being the first shoot him up movie from jamaica. dialect might be hard to understand if you are not jamaican or aquainted with caribbean accent.

Though the low budget of this film is obvious, it is an amazing story, nonetheless so because it's based on a true one! It's also sometimes quite beautifully filmed.

What seems like it will be a simple country-boy-makes-good-in-the-city fairytale turns into a darker story of ego, searing poverty, class warfare, and a lust for fame. At first we're drawn to the Ivan, then gradually repulsed.

The compelling plot is built on a fantastic set of characters that weave a chillingly accurate portrayal of Jamaica in the late 60's -- a tapestry of desperately poor but infinitely resilient people.

To those IMDb reviewers who thought the story immoral - would you say the same thing about Bonnie & Clyde, Scarface, or Cagney's Public Enemy? This movie examines the effect of despair, desperation, and ambition. It's not a fairytale -- grow up.