The epochal cultural moment that first brought reggae to the international stage, made Jimmy Cliff a star — and demonstrated how music can change the world, fifty years on, THE HARDER THEY COME is still electric with the feeling of discovery. This Scarface-y blend of crime drama and musical tracks Cliff’s country-boy-in-search-of-fame through Jamaica under the guises of laborer, recording artist, convict, ganja dealer, and outlaw folk hero.
Before The Harder They Come, the collective perception of a “foreign film” was limited to the Bergmans and the Kurosawas of the world. This game-changer forever blew those doors off — and it still hasn’t lost a drop of its cool, its edge, or its way of making you dance.