Product Information
Reggae music serves as both soundtrack and plot element in THE HARDER THEY COME, a groundbreaking classic starring music legend Jimmy Cliff. Such hits as "You Can Get It If You Really Want," "Many Rivers to Cross," and "Sitting in Limbo," punctuate the film's action, introducing reggae and its Jamaican roots to a worldwide audience. Here, Cliff plays Ivan Martin, a poor country boy who goes to the city to make money, becoming a street rebel and a pop idol overnight. In Kingston, Ivan finds nothing but corruption. The record company offers him a mere $20 to release his single, "The Harder They Come." Ivan takes to the streets, where he is ensnared by crime. After brutally knifing a man, he serves a prison sentence. Once free, he supports himself by selling marijuana, protecting himself from legal persecution by giving the cops a cut. But that doesn't keep him from getting mixed up in a police raid. Ivan quickly develops a reputation as a Kingston criminal, and when his single "The Harder They Come" is finally released, it fuels his bad-boy notoriety, culminating in a tragic conclusion. Perry Henzel's 1973 film has become a cult classic and was an important factor in bringing reggae music to the fore. The movie served as a device for promoting Cliff's album and bringing him visibility as a primary Jamaican artist, on a par with Bob Marley.Product Identifiers
UPC0715515010825
eBay Product ID (ePID)3319730
Product Key Features
ActorJimmy Cliff
EditionCriterion Collection
RatingR
Movie/TV TitleHarder They Come
DirectorPerry Henzell
FormatDVD
Release Year2000
GenreMusical & Performing Arts
Sub-GenrePop Music, Musical
Additional Product Features
Region CodeRegion 1
Number of Discs1
Country/Region of ManufactureJamaica
Display FormatCriterion Collection
Leading RoleJimmy Cliff
Film CountryJamaica