The Harder They Come - Film

The Harder They Come - Director -     Perry Henzell - Starring Jimmy Cliff

So much could be said about this, it's got everything. Great acting, a great plot - incredible photography and a truly outstanding soundtrack. 

Ivan Martin (Jimmy Cliff) comes to Kingston to find his mother after his grandmother dies. Looking for work, his mother suggests going to see the preacher - and the preacher gives him a job in the workshop.

Ivan though wants to be a singer - and that takes him to see Mr Hilton the top record producer on the Island. 

When eventually he gets a chance to sing his song which is of course 'The Harder They Come' It's clear to Mr Hilton that it's a hit tune. However, Ivan is reluctant to sign away the tune for $20.00. Eventually, he does.

Meanwhile, Ivan turns to crime. And with hopes of still making it in the music business, he begins to promote his tune.

His first idea is to have some dramatic photos taken - an early example of 'Image Rights' in action. Ivan paid the photographer- so the photos belong to him. 

Along the way Ivan runs into all kinds of reggae celebrities - featured in the film are Toots and The Maytals, The All-Star Band, Prince Buster, Duke Reid, Ras Daniel Hartman.

Ivan's tune 'The Harder They Come' turns into a big hit. Mr Hilton is now a very happy man.

By this time Ivan's had at least two big gun battles with the Police. And now the Army is searching for him, as well. 

It's suggested to him that Cuba would be a good place to hide for a while. Ivan agrees and tries to get a ship to take him to Cuba. He fails - and then the final gun battle with the Army takes place on the Beach.

But did Ivan die? No one knows. He was certainly shot up - but that doesn’t mean a thing. The film was ready-made for a sequel. Sadly Perry Henzell never got to make it. Despite all the awards he gained and rightly so for the film. The funding never came forward. 

Perry had put all his time and effort into the making of 'The Harder They Come' which had taken about three years to make. And

What he faced afterwards was just as hard.

That story is up next.

The Harder They Come - Documentary - Directed by 

If any film deserved a documentary made about it, it's The Harder They Come.

The struggle that reggae music had for airplay and media attention. Was the same struggle that Perry Henzell encountered with this incredible film.

Chris ...... Carefully explores the making of the film on 16mm super film. Most films are made on 35mm it seems.

Well, this is Jamaica and you learn to make do. The bulk of reggae music so loved by people now was made on either 2 or 4 track even 1 track!!!

Then you have the expense of making a film cut to Chris Blackwell. "You can make a record for $100.00 dollars and it can be a worldwide hit." 

"You can't do that with a film." No you certainly can't. It needs backative as they say in Jamaica, serious 'backative'

One of the great talking points regarding 'The Harder They Come' is the soundtrack. Now this is where you have to understand what a gwan with Jimmy and Island Records. They wanted to market Jimmy as a rock/soul star. The connections with Cat Stevens are proof of that.

Jimmy had other ideas. He wrote the fantastic theme tune for the film. And Perry Henzell wanted more. Jimmy said no.

Well now take a listen to the 'Unlimited' album from Jimmy, one of the best out of time album ever released.

The album was the sound of Reggae 1971. Not 1973, When it came out on EMI.

Jimmy did write a soundtrack for the film - but something went wrong. So a lot of people never make that connection to the Film.

It would have been great if 'The Harder They Come' was on 'Unlimited' but sadly that is not the case.

Also of great interest is the statement from

Chris Blackwell that 'The Harder They Come' soundtrack is one of Island's best sellers. 

It would be nice to think then that all concerned got rewarded to the same extent as other Island best sellers such as Bob Marley's 'Exodus' album.