Perry Henzell’s 1972 film The Harder They Come may not be considered a grindhouse film in the traditional sense, however the cult status this film received, along with the fact that it was one of the original midnight movies, solidifies its entry into our grindhouse hall of fame. With its amazing soundtrack, terrible acting, and amateurish camerawork, this is a gem of the 70s that simply shouldn’t be missed.
The film stars Jimmy Cliff as Ivanhoe Martin, a struggling reggae singer just trying to make it in a world full of drugs, violence, and music. After receiving some moderate success with his first single, Ivan begins selling drugs to help fund his more lavish lifestyle. As one might expect, his world eventually comes crashing down and after a series of murders, he becomes a fugitive and must go into hiding.
The first, and most obvious, thing to discuss about this film is the soundtrack. The early seventies brought the reggae boom to the States and this film was at the forefront. Most of us have heard songs like “The Harder They Come,” “Pressure Drop,” and “You Can Get It If You Really Want” but few people know those songs originated from this film.
Outstanding music aside, at its core this is a relatively simple crime drama. The plot is not overly sophisticated, not that it was really trying to be, but take away the music and the gritty Jamaican backdrop and what you’re left with is a fairly underwhelming story. Thankfully those two elements are so prominent throughout the film that they elevate the entire picture into something truly unique for its time.
When first watching this film, it’s hard not to draw comparisons with De Palma’s 1983 version of Scarface, in that the arc of both films’ protagonists are nearly identical. We have a cautionary tale of a man who begins with nothing, rises to fame and fortune, and meets a violent end. De Palma’s film was certainly more polished and accessible than this one, but that’s not to say it wasn’t just as impactful.
The realistic portrayal of life in the slums of Jamaica was not something we had seen before, and The Harder They Come took an unabashed approach at showing the seedy side of a place we all considered to be a paradise previously.
The bad acting mixed with some poor editing choices and very rough dubbing in certain parts of the soundtrack knock the film down several notches, but compared with some other Midnight movies, this stands above most.
