The Harder They Fall turns five this week, and the stylish Black Western remains a Netflix standout. Jeymes Samuel’s 2021 film gathers a fantastic cast and real-life figures such as Stagecoach Mary and Rufus Buck, with Jay-Z producing and writing original music. If you only remember the shootouts, these eight behind-the-scenes facts make a rewatch richer.
The original title was The Notorious Nine
The film’s original working title was The Notorious Nine. It was announced in July 2019, when Jonathan Majors was cast to star in it, and musician Jeymes Samuel co-wrote and directed.
Jay-Z produced and wrote original music
Idris Elba would join in November, and Jay-Z, who would produce the film, was announced to be writing original music. The original soundtrack and film score were composed by Jeymes Samuel, released on October 29, 2021 and January 14, 2022.
A major cast assembled around Majors
By September 2020, Zazie Beetz, Lakeith Stanfield, Delroy Lindo and Regina King were among new cast members added to the film. They joined Jonathan Majors, who had been cast to star.
COVID-19 delayed the Santa Fe shoot
Filming had been scheduled to begin in March 2020 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but was delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cynthia Erivo, Wesley Snipes and Sterling K. Brown, who were initially cast, had to exit due to the delays caused by the pandemic.
A positive test paused filming in October
Filming commenced in September 2020, but was paused on October 15 after a background actor tested positive for COVID-19. The pause followed the pandemic’s earlier delay of the Santa Fe start.
The festival run began in London
The film had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 6, 2021. It also screened at the Montclair Film Festival on October 22, 2021, and received a limited release that day before streaming on Netflix on November 3.
Critics found plenty to like
On Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 181 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 7.5/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 based on 41 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews.
Baz Luhrmann celebrated the cowboy legacy
Baz Luhrmann praised Jeymes Samuel’s direction, saying he took the legacy of the American cowboy, a quarter of whom historically were Black, and flipped it into a grand entertainment. He added that Samuel collected fantastical stories of icons like Stagecoach Mary and Rufus Buck and translated their spirit through an original, heightened language.
Which of these facts changes the way you see The Harder They Fall? Tell us your favourite.
Facts from Wikipedia: The Harder They Fall (2021 film), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Film images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
