Field of Dreams: The Title

Phil Alden Robinson (director of Field of Dreams) adapted WP Kinsella’s wonderful book Shoeless Joe for the screen, ruthlessly chopping it up, streamlining the many stories into one: Ray’s journey to reconcile with his father. Throughout the entire time of filming, the project was called Shoeless Joe. Robinson was incredibly attached to the title, because of his affinity for the book, and his deep heartfelt wish to embody the work faithfully.

Filming completed and the studio started to do test previews. Immediately, it became apparent to the producers that the title was a problem. Audience members thought the movie was going to be about a homeless person. Or, people with more baseball knowledge thought that it was going to be a historical picture with Costner playing Shoeless Joe. There was much confusion. The title didn’t work. It did for the book, but not for the movie.

So Larry Gordon, one of the producers, suggested a new title to Robinson: Field of Dreams.

Robinson was horrified. He thought it was a terrible title. It sounded like a commercial for something – Field of Dreams – with 50% less calories! No, no, no – the movie, which he had now worked on for up to 5 years, including his time working on the adaptation, HAD to be called Shoeless Joe!!

But Larry Gordon insisted: The audiences weren’t getting it. The title Shoeless Joe had to go. Field of Dreams it had to be.

Robinson eventually caved. But first, he made a cringing embarrassed call to Kinsella (who, all along, had been totally happy with what Robinson had been doing. Kinsella loved the adaptation, thought everything was great, he’s a laidback hippie type of guy).

Robinson got Kinsella on the phone and said, “Well, I have some bad news … I’ve been told that Shoeless Joe doesn’t work as a title. The title has to be changed.”

Kinsella replied breezily, before even hearing what the new title would be, “Oh, that’s fine. Anyway, the publishers forced me to call it Shoeless Joe. My original title was Dream Field.”

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7 Responses to Field of Dreams: The Title

  1. Tommy says:

    That’s beautiful. Freaking beautiful….

  2. red says:

    Perfect, right??

  3. reba says:

    Wow–I never knew that! And, having read the book, I always wondered… Now I feel I need to hold a cocktail party or something just so I can bring it up in conversation.

  4. red says:

    Reba – yes, pass it on!

  5. Jess says:

    This is wonderful. And I’m so amused by the reactions of audience members!

  6. Val Prieto says:

    This is what I like to call one of life’s little gems.

  7. nightfly says:

    If you name it, they will watch…

    And btw, it’s good to see you back! I was getting concerned not seeing anything new, so I just told myself that you were actually enjoying real life and bugger-all to the blog. =D Keep being awesome.

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