The Harder They Come15

Directed by Perry Henzell | Jamaica | 1972 | 1h 43m | Starring Jimmy Cliff, Janet Bartley, Carl Bradshaw, Ras Daniel Hartman

Reggae superstar Jimmy Cliff plays a wannabe singer who leaves his village to go to Jamaica’s capital Kingston in pursuit of stardom. Pushed to desperation by shady record producers and corrupt cops, he finally achieves notoriety—as an outlaw. A gritty crime drama with plenty of social commentary and a soundtrack every bit as famous as the film itself (said to have “brought reggae to the world”).

Reviews

‘Fifty years on, this crime drama of a headstrong singer shooting for his chance of success is as raw and energetic as its reggae soundtrack’
★★★★★
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

‘While it was ultimately the songs—You Can Get It If You Really Want, Many Rivers To Cross, Pressure Drop, and the title track, among other classics—that carried the day, The Harder They Come remains a powerful testament to their meaning.’
★★★★
Scott Tobias, The AV Club

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed The Harder They Come between September 18, 2022 and September 19, 2022.

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Today (Saturday 12th October)

15:15

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18:15

After Hours 15
1h 37m
Legendary American director Martin Scorsese's frantic screwball comedy following an uptight office worker's late-night odyssey on the streets of New York as he tries to get home with no money.

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21:00

The Substance 18
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Tomorrow (Sunday 13th October)

14:00

Lee 15
1h 57m
Elizabeth “Lee” Miller, a former model turned renowned photographer, captured some of the most iconic and haunting images of the Second World War. In this captivating biopic, Oscar-winner Kate Winslet brings Miller’s extraordinary story to life.

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16:45

The Goldman Case 12A
1h 56m | French w/ English subtitles
An electrifying dramatisation of the trial of left-wing activist Pierre Goldman, who was accused of armed robbery and murder in 1970s France. Winner of Best Actor (Arieh Worthalter) at the 2024 César Awards.

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19:30

Megalopolis 15
2h 18m
A visionary artist seeking to guide humanity toward a utopian future faces opposition from regressive, greedy politicians. 40 years in the making, Francis Ford Coppola’s long-awaited philosophical sci-fi epic finally arrives on the big screen.

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Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road. We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We don’t show adverts, just a couple of trailers, so don't be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!