Field of Dreams – Shoeless Joe

Field of Dreams (1989) is the movie adaptation of the novel, Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella, published in 1982.

The story is about a man, Ray Kinsella, who hears a voice in his Iowa corn field telling him, “If you build it, he will come.” Knowing in his heart that something important was going to happen, he listens to the voice and plows under his corn crop to build a baseball field on his farm. In doing so, Shoeless Joe Jackson of the controversial 1919 Chicago White Sox comes out of the corn and onto the field. The team was actually nicknamed the Black Sox because it was discovered some players were paid to throw the World Series game that year. It appeared Shoeless Joe Jackson played his best and didn’t do his part to throw the game, but he took the money and therefore was banned with the rest, from ever playing professional baseball again.

The film starred:
 Kevin Costner as Ray Kinsella
 Amy Madigan as Annie Kinsella
 James Earl Jones as Terence Mann
 Ray Liotta as Shoeless Joe Jackson
 Burt Lancaster as Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham

Also:
Timothy Busfield as Mark
Frank Whaley as Archie Graham
Gaby Hoffmann as Karin Kinsella
Dwier Brown as John Kinsella
Fern Persons as Annie's Mother

Ray Liotta as Shoeless Joe Jackson.

Amy Madigan as Annie Kinsella.

Hollywood actually created a baseball field on a farm in Dyersville, Iowa which still stands today. I was impressed when I visited it back in 2007. The owners of the farm(s) didn’t charge anything to see the field, play on it, or sit in the Hollywood constructed bleacher where Costner, Jones and the other stars sat. Unlike the $20.00 prediction in the film. They only had a modestly priced souvenir stand. 

I wish I had a better photo, but this is my own take from 2007.

Kevin Costner and Gaby Hoffmann from the film in 1989.

A family friend and I in 2007.

When thinking about this story, one might be tempted to say it is more a ghost story than time travel. The old time ball players could have been either or a little of both. But there is also genuine time travel there as well. Ray and sixties activist/author, Terence Mann (James Earl Jones) travels to Chisholm, Minnesota to try and find an old New York Giants ballplayer named, Archibald "Moonlight" Graham (Burt Lancaster). They do this after receiving another message from the voice in Boston’s Fenway Park, which says, “Go the distance.” While in Chisholm, Ray discovers that Graham later became Doc Graham and had died in 1972. (Note: the actual Archibald Graham died in 1965, not sure why they changed the date for the movie) Ray takes a walk and finds himself in 1972. The Godfather is playing in the movie theater and the cars are all from the period. He runs into Doc Graham and has a nice chat with him about his stint in baseball. Moonlight Graham had never seen a single pitch in his career and his one wish was to just have one hit. The next day, Ray and Terence Mann take off for home and pick up a very young hitchhiker who they discover is Archie "Moonlight" Graham. They take him back to the Iowa field where they allow his dreams to come true. In a touching moment, Graham has to cross the field line and once again become old Doc Graham to help Ray’s choking daughter (Gaby Hoffmann).

James Earl Jones as Terence Mann.

Burt Lancaster as Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham

The last message Ray receives is: “Ease His Pain.”

SPOILER ALERT: The real tearjerker part of the story came when you find out the voice was actually Shoeless Joe Jackson, himself and the person he was talking about when he said, “If you build it, HE will come, was someone important to Ray.” When the field clears, there is one last player. It turns out to be Ray’s estranged father, John Kinsella, as a young man. After some introductions and conversation, Ray finally asks his dad if he wants to have a long overdue game of catch.

John Kinsella: Is this heaven?
Ray Kinsella: It's Iowa.
John Kinsella: Iowa? I could have sworn this was heaven. [Starts to walk away]
Ray Kinsella: Is there a heaven?
John Kinsella: Oh yeah. It's the place where dreams come true.
[Ray looks around, seeing his wife playing with their daughter on the porch]
Ray Kinsella: Maybe this is heaven.

Dwier Brown as John Kinsella.

The musical score was composed by James Horner. Although Horner has written the music for over a hundred films, his most memorable is Star Trek II and III, the brilliantly haunting score of Titanic, and Avatar.

Other songs include:
"Crazy", written by Willie Nelson and performed by Beverly D'Angelo
"Daydream", written by John Sebastian and performed by The Lovin' Spoonful
"Jessica", written by Dickey Betts and performed by The Allman Brothers Band
"China Grove", written by Tom Johnston and performed by The Doobie Brothers
"Lotus Blossom", written by Billy Strayhorn and performed by Duke Ellington


Beyond being a great fantasy, ghost, or time-travel story, this movie is about baseball. It really puts wonderful emphasis on our love for the great American past-time.

Time travel with me to a detailed 1969 Cubs vs. Mets game in my book: Tomorrow's Borrowed Trouble. 

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