The Harder They Come
1973, NR, 98 min. Directed by Perry Henzell. Starring Jimmy Cliff, Janet Barkley, Carl Bradshaw, Ras Daniel Hartman, Bobby Charlton, Basil Keane, Winston Stona.
Not reviewed at press time. It's hard to believe that 25 years have passed since Jimmy Cliff blazed his way into cinematic legend in The Harder They Come. It's a showbiz story, Jamaica shantytown style; it's a rebel-boy story, reggae style; it's an eternal story about a country boy on his way to doom in Babylon. The Harder They Come is the movie that popularized reggae music in America, and the film's score – with classics such as “Many Rivers to Cross” and “You Can Get It if You Really Want” – is still one of the great movie soundtracks of all time. And the movie's critiques of the music industry, the ganja trade, and organized religion still ring true. Director and co-writer Perry Henzell is currently working on a The Harder They Come sequel and has also recently authored a novel titled Power Game, which is described as a Caribbean political thriller.
A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.
March 15, 2025
March 14, 2025
The Harder They Come, Perry Henzell, Jimmy Cliff, Janet Barkley, Carl Bradshaw, Ras Daniel Hartman, Bobby Charlton, Basil Keane, Winston Stona
