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‘Field of Dreams’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Mallory Rubin

April 19, 2019 · Field of Dreams (1989) · Drama · Family · Fantasy · 1:48:10

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 39:04When Ray goes to see Terrence Mann for the first time and the James Earl Jones speech where all the ghosts stop playing to watch him
Chris Ryan▶ 38:16When Ray goes to Boston to see Terrence Mann because of their great chemistry and the evocative portrayal of the reclusive icon
Mallory Rubin▶ 39:50Moonlight crossing the line to save Karen and Ray saying 'oh my God, you can't go back'

What's Aged the Best

Mallory Rubin▶ 49:15The themes of the movie

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 50:33Baseball as the American pastime - the James Earl Jones speech about baseball being the one constant doesn't hold true anymore because we spend most time talking about what's wrong with baseball rather than loving it
Chris Ryan▶ 53:13Agrees that the Field of Dreams style of thinking about baseball peaked with Sosa/McGuire then was destroyed, and that baseball has always had stains but the pastoral ideal is what's been lost
Mallory Rubin▶ 56:46First 20 minutes being a little slow, concussion protocol when Karen falls from bleachers, and Newsweek cover being cited as proof of celebrity relevance

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 58:23Tom Hanks — Discussed Tom Hanks allegedly being offered Ray Kinsella role, Costner not originally considered, Jimmy Stewart as original choice for Moonlight Graham, and Burt Lancaster turning down then accepting a role
Chris Ryan▶ 59:00Connected the movie to late 80s Hollywood throwback films made by Castle Rock, comparing to Capra-style movies
Mallory Rubin▶ 58:53James Stewart — Noted Jimmy Stewart connections and strands in the movie, particularly referencing Harvey

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:58Art LaFleur
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:01:03Gaby Hoffmann

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:29Amy Madigan — Karen

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:34Extensive trivia including original title was Shoeless Joe, voice mystery (thinks Ray Liotta), Matt Damon/Ben Affleck as extras, corn growth issues with Costner's height, farm ownership details, tourist statistics, accidental line drive scene
Chris Ryan▶ 1:05:05W.P. Kinsella found filming boring but his daughter had romance with Ray Liotta on set
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:05:23Ray Kinsella character named after two Salinger characters (Richard Kinsella from Catcher in the Rye, Ray Kinsella from A Young Girl in 1941), Don Buford coaching connection

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:07:58Kevin Costner — Yes for Costner - this movie, not Dances with Wolves. This sets up Dances with Wolves and makes him the biggest star. Also yes for Amy Madigan, yes for baseball as a whole, yes for Iowa
Chris Ryan▶ 1:08:35Kevin Costner — Agrees on Costner but sees it as a combo of this movie plus Bull Durham (88-89 pair) plus No Way Out. Yes for Timothy Busfield.
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:10:48Contributes to discussion about Iowa ('hard to top literally being a stand-in for heaven') and Shoeless Joe as sympathetic figure, but doesn't give clear definitive picks

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 1:17:09Ray Liotta batted righty but Shoeless Joe was a lefty - indefensible error; Fenway scoreboard shows 10:30 PM in third inning with no rain delay; movie ignores pre-1947 Black baseball players despite being about second chances; Ray doesn't recognize his dad during the scrimmage; brother-in-law Mark disappears after seeing ghosts and never returns
Chris Ryan▶ 1:14:35Has anyone's wife ever been this understanding in the history of mankind - Annie's support of Ray's field-building after hearing voices is unrealistically accommodating
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:19:53Where did Ray get professional-grade stadium lights and how did he construct a perfect field while building unsafe wooden bleachers; Mark should have been kicked off the property immediately after grabbing their child, not invited for water

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:26:26How Archie Graham was off the field to begin with, why Terence Mann can walk into the cornfield but Ray can't try the same thing, and questioning the physics of the magical realm
Chris Ryan▶ 1:28:15What happens to fielders who chase fly balls into the cornfield and disappear, and how the reserved seating logistics would work when people come to watch games
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:25:50Whether Shoeless Joe is dead when he disappears, the rules of the magic system, why players can't leave the field but Archie Graham could exist off it, ground rules for balls hit into the cornfield, and why only one person opposed the book banning at the town hall

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:32:29Hey dad, you want to have a catch
Chris Ryan▶ 1:34:32Discussed various quotes but didn't make a definitive final pick, focused on emotional impact of father-son reconciliation theme
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:32:36Multiple quotes including 'Is this heaven? It's Iowa' and the ghost/reality exchange between Shoeless Joe and Karen

Movies Referenced (39)

Bull Durham (1988)

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin▶ 2:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dances with Wolves (1990)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 3:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Major League (1989)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 4:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 18:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Goodfellas (1990)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 29:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

No Way Out (1987)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 3:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

American Pie (1999)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin▶ 1:06:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 58:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Moneyball (2011)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 10:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

My Left Foot (1989)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 18:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Something Wild (1986)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 29:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Untouchables (1987)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 3:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (4)

Kevin Costner

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 1:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clint Eastwood

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 7:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Phil Alden Robinson

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Field of Dreams, Sneakers, The Sum of All Fears▶ 18:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ridley Scott

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Martian, Blade Runner▶ 6:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (43)

James Earl Jones

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin · Known for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Field of Dreams▶ 1:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Terrence Mann

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 15:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ray Liotta

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Goodfellas, Field of Dreams▶ 2:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Whaley

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for Broken Arrow, Pulp Fiction▶ 33:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Amy Madigan

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Weapons, Field of Dreams▶ 1:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beulah Koale

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Thank You for Your Service▶ 35:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Denzel Washington

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 11:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Luke Wilson

3 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Old School, The Royal Tenenbaums▶ 13:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robin Williams

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Mrs. Doubtfire▶ 18:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Charlie Sheen

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Wall Street▶ 4:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

DJ Premier

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Inside Man▶ 19:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harrison Ford

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive▶ 12:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (8)

Michael Dinner

8 mentions · Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons▶ 43:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

W.P. Kinsella

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Field of Dreams▶ 10:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Dubuque

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Accountant▶ 32:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce Springsteen

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Wrestler, Philadelphia▶ 25:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Baldwin

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 45:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Jones

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Thin Red Line, From Here to Eternity, The Longest Day▶ 1:04:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 19:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Blake

1 mentions · Mallory Rubin▶ 3:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Michael Grantland

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Other Guys▶ 9:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗