Field of Dreams (1989)

An Iowa corn farmer, hearing voices, interprets them as a command to build a baseball diamond in his fields; he does, and the Chicago White Sox come.

Director:

Phil Alden Robinson

Writers:

W.P. Kinsella (book), Phil Alden Robinson (screenplay)

Stars:

Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Costner	...	Ray Kinsella
Amy Madigan	...	Annie Kinsella
Gaby Hoffmann	...	Karin Kinsella
Ray Liotta	...	Shoeless Joe Jackson
Timothy Busfield	...	Mark
James Earl Jones	...	Terence Mann
Burt Lancaster	...	Dr. Archibald 'Moonlight' Graham
Frank Whaley	...	Archie Graham
Dwier Brown	...	John Kinsella
James Andelin	...	Feed Store Farmer
Mary Anne Kean	...	Feed Store Lady
Fern Persons	...	Annie's Mother
Kelly Coffield Park	...	Dee, Mark's Wife (as Kelly Coffield)
Michael Milhoan	...	Buck Weaver - 3B
Steve Eastin	...	Eddie Cicotte - P

Storyline

Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella hears a voice in his corn field tell him, "If you build it, he will come." He interprets this message as an instruction to build a baseball field on his farm, upon which appear the ghosts of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the other seven Chicago White Sox players banned from the game for throwing the 1919 World Series. When the voices continue, Ray seeks out a reclusive author to help him understand the meaning of the messages and the purpose for his field.

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Plot Keywords:

baseball | baseball field | farmer | hearing voices | ghost | 

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Taglines:

If you believe the impossible, the incredible can come true.

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Genres:

Drama | Family | Fantasy | Sport

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 May 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shoeless Joe

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$64,431,625 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gordon Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Shoeless" Joe Jackson remarks about Ty Cobb's desire to play at the Field of Dreams (1989), "None of could stand the son of a bitch when he was alive, so, we told him to stick it." In real life, both players were very close friends. In Jackson's later life, when he ran a liquor store in South Carolina, Cobb stopped there to buy bourbon. During the sale, Jackson made no sign of recognition to Cobb, until Cobb finally said, "For God's sakes, Joe, don't you remember me?" Jackson somberly replied, "Well, sure, I remember you, Ty. I just didn't think anyone wanted to remember me anymore."

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Goofs

In one of the scenes where Ray is watching the Black Sox play at his field, Jim Doty is seen hitting a ball, and then running to first. However, when the camera shows the player on first base, it is not Jim Doty.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Ray Kinsella: [voice over] My father's name was John Kinsella. It's an Irish name. He was born in North Dakota in 1896, and never saw a big city until he came back from France in 1918. He settled in Chicago, where he quickly learned to live and die with the White Sox. Died a little when they lost the 1919 World Series. Died a lot the following summer when eight members of the team were accused of throwing that series. He played in the minors for a year too, but nothing ever came of it. Moved to ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The Voice ................ Himself

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Connections

Referenced in How I Met Your Mother: Robots vs. Wrestlers (2010)

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Soundtracks

The Library
(uncredited)
Composed and Conducted by James Horner

User Reviews

"...and the memories will be so thick they will have to brush them away from their faces."

It's American. It's corny (pun intended, I'm sorry). When I stop and think about it, it's laughable but the immutable truth is that this is naively beautiful on almost every frontier. I have watched this film so many times and though inside I know the ladled sentiment should be cringeworthy-especially for a cynic such as I...it somehow never fails to utterly absorb me.

Horner's musical score is haunting and mesmerising and adds so strongly to the whole ethereal feeling that this film exudes.

The acting is extraordinary in that they pull off corny lines without provoking me to laughter or cringing, with the possible exception of James Earl Jones speech "...the one constant is baseball...".

I even have to admit that Kostner is good (painful though it is).

You may not like or understand baseball...it doesn't matter. This is not a film about baseball. Its about relationships (particularly about father son relationships) and it tugs on every heart string.

There was a review of this film which first intrigued me enough to watch it several years ago. I cannot remember who said it but if memory serves me well his summation of Field of Dreams was this...

"Could you ever really love someone who didn't cry at this film, even just a little?"

Nuff said.