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01/08/1972 Crime, Drama, Music 1h 43m
65
User score

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

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.

  1. Perry Henzell

    Director, Writer

  2. Trevor D. Rhone

    Writer

Top billed cast

  1. Jimmy Cliff

    Ivanhoe "Ivan" Martin

  2. Janet Bartley

    Elsa

  3. Carl Bradshaw

    Jose

  4. Ras Daniel Hartman

    Pedro

  5. Basil Keane

    Preacher

  6. Bob Charlton

    Hilton

  7. Winston Stona

    Detective Ray Jones

  8. Lucia White

    Mother

  9. Volair Johnson

    Pushcart Boy

  10. View more

Full Cast & Crew

Reviews

A review by r96sk
Written by r96sk on 2025-08-19
'The Harder They Come' 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.
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Status
Released

Original Language
English

Budget
$0.00

Revenue
$0.00

Keywords