TO coincide with the 40th anniversary of its United States debut, The Harder They Come will be re-released in that country on September 5.

Written/directed by Perry Henzell, the low-budget film was released in Jamaica in 1972, and made its US debut the following year.

Distributors Syndctd Entertainment and International Films Management will head the re-release, Henzell’s daughter Justine Henzell, told the Jamaica Observer.

She says the project has been approved by her family, but was unable to provide an itinerary.

During its initial American run, The Harder They Come was shown in New York City, New England and California,, and introduced Jamaican pop culture to a rock and college audience.

The film is based on Ivanhoe ‘Rhygin’ Martin, a criminal who terrorised sections of west Kingston in the late 1940s.

Singer Jimmy Cliff starred as Ivan, a youth from rural Jamaica who moves to Kingston in search of his big break as a singer. When that fails, he turns to crime.

Released by Island Records in Britain in February 1972, The Harder They Come soundtrack contains the title song, Many Rivers to Cross, Wonderful World, Beautiful People and You Can Get it if You Really Want, all by Cliff; as well as (007) Shantytown by Desmond Dekker, The Melodians’ By The Rivers of Babylon, Pressure Drop and Sweet and Dandy (Toots and The Maytals) and Johnny Too Bad by The Slickers.