At the time of their first meeting in early 1972 Jimmy Cliff knew nothing about Perry Henzell, an advertising executive eager to shed his corporate image and make a movie. He saw Jimmy Cliff, then a star in Jamaica and Europe, as the star of his maiden film.
In an interview with the Jamaica Observer in December, Jimmy Cliff recalls that meeting taking place at Dynamic Records in Kingston. He was there recording two songs — You Can Get it if You Really Want and Let Your Yeah be Yeah — both for Island Records.
“After the session finish I saw this bearded white man and he said, ‘I’m making a movie. Do you think you can write some songs for it?’ I sey, ‘How yuh mean if mi think?! Mi can do anything!’” the artist recalled.
Later that year Henzell visited Jimmy Cliff in England and presented him with a script for his movie which became The Harder They Come. Premiering in Kingston at the Carib in June 1972, the groundbreaking flick with the song writer starring as Ivan, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
No golden anniversary plans have been announced, but Henzell’s family said events are in the works. Perry Henzell died in 2006.
Though he had no serious acting credits, Jimmy Cliff was excited at the prospect of being cast in a movie. He had been a music star since the early 1960s, recording a series of hit songs for producer Leslie Kong including Hurricane Hattie, Dearest Beverley and Miss Jamaica.
Wonderful World, Beautiful People, another Kong production, was a big hit in the United Kingdom in 1969 and made Jimmy Cliff a rising star in Europe.