MovieChat Forums > Field of Dreams (1989) Discussion > When does John realize that Ray is his s...

When does John realize that Ray is his son?

posted 12 years ago by fleurfairy
10 replies | jump to latest

When do you think John realizes he's speaking to his son? Does he know all along or does he figure it out when Ray calls him Dad?

[–] Zaxzar 12 years ago

I'm pretty sure he knew it all along. He just stepped into the game from the great beyond. All the other players knew they were dead, that they were playing on a field in Iowa and John doesn't hesitate a second when Ray called him Dad.

Mr. Grady, you were the caretaker here.

[–] JR541 12 years ago

When it was originally filmed Ray didn't call him dad. When they previewed the film for test audiences the people said they would've liked it had Ray and Johns relationship been acknowledged so they actually shot more footage some months after the production had ended just to have Costner call him "dad". This was simply added to the previous footage. It was going to be left somewhat ambiguous.

He's taking the knife out of the Cheese!
Do you think he wants some cheese?

[–] Zaxzar 12 years ago

IIRC in an interview the director said they looped the "dad" dialogue because the test audiences thought John didn't know it was his son. The director said that it was meant that he did know but that it wasn't supposed to be acknowledged (for some reason the director felt it had more effect that way). So it wasn't that it was ambiguous, it was just that it wasn't spoken. However, the test audiences took it (rightfully so I think) that John didn't know it was his son and thought it very cruel of Ray to not tell him who he was.

Mr. Grady, you were the caretaker here.

[–] jaystarstar 11 years ago

When Ray says to Karin, "This is my ... This is John."

He knows, then.

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4) You ever seen Superman $#$# his pants? Case closed.

[–] mikekrit62 10 years ago

I think he knew all along.

The players knew they were dead, and also remembered their lives after baseball, right up to when they died. John would have recognized his son since he knew him as a young man before he passed away. He probably was reluctant to mention it on his own because he might have feared his son hated him, and didn't want to ruin the moment.

When Ray catches himself while introducing John to his daughter, John knows that Ray recognizes him, but won't acknowledge him.

It's only when he calls him "Dad", and asks him if he wants to have a catch, does he realize that his son doesn't hate him, far from it. Both of them get their "wish".

[–] Filmfanatic11 10 years ago

I think he figured it out early on, but didn't know right away.

[–] skohl632001 10 years ago

Jaystarstar is right; watch the scene closely; John KEYS on the moment when Ray starts to introduce him to Karen as "My fath...(catches himself)...John".

I've always thought that was the moment when John realizes Ray is his son.

[–] Zaxzar 10 years ago

I think he just wasn't sure Ray was going to say out loud he was his son. He knew all along. He wasn't a major baseball player. Why else would he be in the field? He had to have known why he was there.

Mr. Grady, you were the caretaker here.

[–] jaystarstar 10 years ago

Well, the 22-year-old John Kinsella would never have SEEN his son; remember, Ray was not born until John was in his 40s/50s, 'worn down by life,' so he certainly would not recognize him right off.

But he would probably recognize things in his face and the sound of his voice and realize, "that guy looks/sounds like me," and eventually come to the realization, and when Ray more or less blurts it out to Karin, he knows for sure.

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4) You ever seen Superman $#$# his pants? Case closed.

[–] steelau 9 years ago

I think that the fact that Ray left his Dad angry at him for all those years, and never saw him again until he was very old, he didn't get to spend those father/son moments in life.

So, when his father comes back to the field, I believe John didn't know it was his son at first, because when he comes over to Ray and his family, he introduces himself, and even after Ray almost says "my father"...the camera shows John with no expression, as to what Ray almost says.

But later on when Ray says: "Dad, you want to have a catch?", then there was that emotional father/son bond again by him calling him Dad...that's why he answers with such emotion: "I'd like that". He realizes its his son and will spend some time with him now.