Field of Dreams is about the power of believing something implausible can create magic. Phil Alden Robinson’s writing career up to this point had been solid if unremarkable with Rhinestone, All of Me and Fletch. His directing debut, In the Mood, didn’t make a dent, but it was in adapting this unusual book by W.P. Kinsella that he made his mark in cinema history. It was the perfect role for Kevin Costner following Bull Durham, and offered memorable parts for Amy Madigan, Ray Liotta (way against type), James Earl Jones, Burt Lancaster, Timothy Busfield and Frank Whaley.
The story is also a perfect metaphor for something that happened during filming, something I’ve seen and heard of happening on a number of projects. There’s almost always a moment where the director is deep into their vision and they take a step back and start to doubt their choices. You can actually see it with Rian Johnson in The Director and the Jedi. Even with all the elements for success lined up, at some point during filming, Robinson began to lose confidence. Producer Lawrence Gordon gave him a pep talk, telling him to trust the great script and shoot what he wrote.
Like Thelma & Louise, Field of Dreams opened in May. On a modest budget of $15 million it made almost $85 million, and had a cultural impact that lasted the rest of the year, leading to 3 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
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