The Harder They Come

In the reggae-fueled action film The Harder They Come, one of the biggest cult movie sensations of the ‘70s, music legend Jimmy Cliff stars as Ivan Martin, an aspiring young singer who leaves his rural village for the capital city of Kingston, Jamaica hoping to make a name for himself. Robbed of his money and possessions his first day in town, he finds work with a self-righteous, bullying preacher and an unscrupulous music mogul who exploits naïve hopefuls. In desperation, the simple country boy turns outlaw, at war with both the police and his rivals in the ganja trade. Ivan’s dream of stardom soon becomes a reality as he rises to the top of the pop charts and the most-wanted lists. This gritty, groundbreaking film (the first feature film from Jamaica) brought reggae music to the international stage via its bestselling soundtrack (featuring such classics as “You Can Get it if You Really Want”, “Many Rivers to Cross” and the iconic title song), made Jimmy Cliff a star worldwide, and demonstrated that music and art can change the world. (Dir. by Perry Henzell, 1973, Jamaica, 105 mins., Rated R)