Revisiting five classic scenes from Field of Dreams

Moonlight Graham saves Ray’s daughter

During a dispute with his brother-in-law, Ray’s daughter, Karin, falls off the bleachers and starts choking to death. Moonlight Graham walks over to them and leaves the playing field to save her. We now learn why “Shoeless Joe” didn’t leave the field earlier: Once players do so, they can’t go back and play again.

Moonlight Graham reverted to being an elderly doctor, knowing that that was the end of his new playing career. Ray realizing this, in shock, is one of the best scenes of the entire movie.

I think this is a great scene for two reasons. First, Moonlight Graham is content with the fact that his wish came true, even though he only got to bat one time, and he was at peace with it. Second, it symbolizes how, as great as baseball is, there are many things that are more important and that most of us, though we dream of being a ballplayer, have another purpose in life. In the end, Moonlight Graham discovered his.

Ray has a catch with his father

Throughout the movie, Ray discusses his strained relationship with his father. When Ray was a child, his father forced him to play baseball in a classic case of a father trying to live through his son. He left home at an early age, yet one thing the two had in common was their love of baseball. “Shoeless” Joe was Ray’s father’s idol.

Ray’s father played baseball but didn’t have much of a career. Yet towards the end of the movie, after all the players left the field and returned into the corn, Ray’s father appeared in a Yankees jersey. For the first time, Ray appeared emotional as he introduced him to his family, and then the two played a game of catch.

This was a great way to end the movie. Though it’s not necessarily spoken, perhaps “ease his pain” referred to Ray himself, and/or to his father. For me, talking about baseball has been a great way to bond with my own father. In any case, it’s a great scene because it shows how baseball can connect family members and generations.