The Harder They Come (1972): cast, story & where to watch
1972 · Film · ★ 6.8
Released in 1972, The Harder They Come is a drama, crime and music film directed by Perry Henzell, running about 103 minutes. “With a Piece in His Hand He Takes on the Man!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Ivanhoe Martin arrives in Kingston, Jamaica, looking for work and, after some initial struggles, lands a recording contract as a reggae singer. He records his first song, "The Harder They Come," but after a bitter dispute with a manipulative producer named Hilton, soon finds himself resorting to petty crime in order to pay the bills. He deals marijuana, kills some abusive cops and earns local folk hero status. Meanwhile, his record is topping the charts.
Who’s in it. The Harder They Come stars Jimmy Cliff as Ivanhoe "Ivan" Martin, Janet Bartley as Elsa, Carl Bradshaw as Jose and Ras Daniel Hartman as Pedro, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.8/10, The Harder They Come has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, Criterion Channel, Fandor and Amazon Prime Video with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Harder They Come page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Harder They Come tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Harder They Come (1972)?
- In US, The Harder They Come is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, Criterion Channel and Fandor, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Harder They Come worth watching?
- The Harder They Come holds an audience score of 6.8 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, crime and music. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Harder They Come?
- The Harder They Come stars Jimmy Cliff, Janet Bartley, Carl Bradshaw, Ras Daniel Hartman and Basil Keane.