Full of violence, dealers and other characters of a dubious moral nature, The Harder They Come was never going to be approved as Jamaica’s official tourist board promo video.
The irony, of course, is that the film ultimately gave reggae and Jamaican culture a worldwide audience.
Jimmy Cliff stars as Ivan Martin, a singer who is forced to sell his hit single for a pittance to a producer with a monopoly on Kingston’s music industry – a scenario that was commonplace in Jamaica. Cliff’s character is based on Rhygin, a famed criminal of the Forties considered by some to be a figure akin to Robin Hood. It would certainly explain why, despite his often immoral actions, Martin is an underdog figure that you can’t help but root for.
As much a snapshot of an emerging sound as it of Jamaican life of the time, The Harder They Come rises above its technical limitations to become fully deserving of its cult status.
