Field of Dreamsremains a classic film for both its storyline and its cast. The film has a touching story about family and baseball, coupled with quotes both inspirational and hilarious that audiences love to repeat. Ray Liotta played the infamous Shoeless Joe Jackson; with his recent passing, fans are definitely celebrating and remembering him with all the films he appeared in, fromField of DreamstoGoodfellas.
The film has a balance of heartfelt and comedic, which produced many memorable lines, especially those coming from The Voice itself, also known as Shoeless Joe Jackson. Audiences loved watching Ray's journey as he followed The Voice's lead, and Ray Liotta's "If you build it, he will come" quote is forever immortalized in pop culture.
Shoeless Joe Jackson On All The Guys That Wanted To Play Ball:
"Where Did We Come From? You Wouldn't Believe How Many Guys Wanted To Play Here. We Had To Beat 'Em Off With A Stick!"
When Ray returns from his road trip to Boston with Terence Mann and Moonlight Graham in tow, he finds that several more ball players have appeared on the field since he left, and when Ray asks where they came from, the above is Joe's noteworthy response.
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Word was getting around among the deceased players that there was a field they could play in anytime, and it was amazing not just for Ray and his family but for audiences to see all the players coming to play the sport they loved. The film is an amazing story, both for the baseball players and for Ray and his family. Audiences can rest assured it was only the beginning for the field of dreams as more players surely came to play and more people discovered the one-of-a-kind field.
The Voice Encouraging Ray And Terence To Find Moonlight Graham:
"Go The Distance."
While at a baseball game in Boston with writer Terence Mann (played by James Earl Jones, who also voiced Darth Vader in theStar Warsfranchise), Ray gets another message from The Voice, telling him to "go the distance," as well as reveal the name Archibald "Moonlight" Graham and pertinent information about him.
Ray and Terence hit the road to find Moonlight, but the message has a double meaning: it's not just about recruiting Moonlight, it's also about Ray finishing what he started, and going above and beyond to fulfill the meanings behind The Voice's words, which makes this quote so memorable and admirable.
Annie's Humorous Question In Regards To The Voice:
"Hey, What If The Voice Calls While You're Gone?"
Annie is without a doubt one of the best partners in film; she supports Ray unconditionally from the get-go, never questioning him and doing what she can to help. She's a great listener and she's definitely hilarious, with the above quote just one of a few that makes audiences laugh.
Ray wittily tells his wife to take a message in response to the above quote. The two are great at joking around with each other and talking things out. Their relationshipand chemistry are important not just in the film but also to audiences.
Terence Mann On The Significance Of The Baseball Field:
"They'll Watch The Game, And It'll Be As If They Dipped Themselves In Magic Waters. The Memories Will Be So Thick, They'll Have To Brush Them Away From Their Faces. People Will Come, Ray."
When Ray's brother-in-law Mark shows up at the farm demanding Ray sell to him or else lose his home, both Ray's daughter Karin and Terence Mann chime in regarding the fact that they believe people will come, and pay, to watch the baseball games as it will remind them of their childhoods and make them happy.
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Of course, as Terence Mann is a writer, it's no wonder how he helped persuade Ray to refrain from selling, given his descriptive and moving words in the above quote. Plus, Terence and Karin were both very confident in their belief that people would come. Of course, as audiences know by the end of the film, people did in fact come, and it was a wonderful sight in addition to this wonderful quote.
Ray Reconnecting With His Dad:
"Hey, Dad? You Want To Have A Catch?"
Throughout the film, audiences are aware of Ray's strained relationship with his late father, and that he has regrets about how he left things with him. The moment John Kinsella appears is a tear-jerker as audiences realize Ray has gotten another chance. Though Ray's question of whether John would like to have a game of catch is simple, it contains an immeasurable amount of sentimental meaning.
A game of catch was something father and son did frequently before Ray refused to play as a teenager; this quote is meaningful in that they got to have a game of catch again and have the chance to repair their relationship, which meant the world to both men.
Moonlight Graham's Piece Of Wisdom For Ray:
"You Know, We Just Don't Recognize The Most Significant Moments Of Our Lives While They're Happening. Back Then, I Thought, "Well There'll Be Other Days." I Didn't Realize That That Was The Only Day."
When Ray meets Archibald "Moonlight" Graham in Minnesota, it's truly a memorable encounter. Moonlight Graham recounts his days in baseball; he didn't get a real chance to play, and Ray assures him that he can give Moonlight that opportunity. During that discussion, Moonlight says the above quote in reference to his baseball career.
What makes Field of Dreamsone of the best movies about baseball is its wise and sage advice, and audiences certainly treasure this particular quote as it reminds them to appreciate every little moment, even if they don't realize its significance until later. The quote is inspiring as well, and encourages audiences to take the opportunities presented to them; it fits the theme of the film, as Ray took the opportunity presented to him and made a beautiful dream out of it.
The Voice Knowing What Ray Needed:
"Ease His Pain."
After building the baseball field, Ray is mystified when he receives another message from The Voice: "Ease his pain." By chance, Ray is at a PTA meeting with his wife when he figures out that it's Terence Mann's pain that he needs to ease, and heads to Boston to get him.
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However, by the film's end, Ray realizes the pain he was supposed to ease was his own in regards to his father. The Voice, aka Shoeless Joe Jackson, knew that Ray could figure out the meaning of his messages and that it would lead Ray on the healing and uplifting journey he needed all along.
The Voice's Ambiguous Message:
"If You Build It, He Will Come."
Initially known as "The Voice," farmer Ray Kinsella begins to wonder if he's hearing things out in the corn field as the above quote is the first message The Voice delivers. As audiences know, it was the beginning of a special journey for Ray to discover who The Voice belonged to and what Ray's own purpose was in following The Voice's ambiguous messages.
The baseball field is about more than just the game; it's the spirit of the event, the memories, and the special connection Ray has to baseball itself that he gets to share with the world by the film's end. This quote is well-known in pop culture, and audiences always think of Ray Liotta when they hear it.
John Kinsella On The Existence Of Heaven:
"Oh Yeah. It's The Place Dreams Come True."
After having seen the ghosts of baseball players and received messages from The Voice, Ray is naturally curious about the existence of Heaven, asking his deceased father if there is a Heaven. The above quote is John's answer for his son, and Ray notably takes a look back at his wife and daughter and mentions "Maybe this is heaven."
Ray realizes that he has his heaven: between his family, the baseball field, and the chance to reunite with his deceased father, his dreams really have come true. This heartfelt message is what makes Field of Dreamsone of Kevin Costner's best films.
Shoeless Joe's Famous Question:
"Hey! Is This Heaven?"
Shoeless Joe Jackson, one of the best fictional baseball players in film, was thrilled to have a baseball field to play on again, especially since he'd been banned from the game for life when he was alive after gamblers had paid him and other teammates to throw a game. Ray's famous response, "No, it's Iowa" is also noteworthy in this memorable exchange between Kevin Costner and Ray Liotta in the film.
Audiences know this line just as well as "If you build it, he will come." The line is memorable because for Shoeless Joe, the other baseball players, and Ray and his family, it was heaven. It was everything they ever wanted right in front of them.
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