<P> Field of Dreams is a 1989 American fantasy - drama sports film directed by Phil Alden Robinson, who also wrote the screenplay, adapting W.P. Kinsella's novel Shoeless Joe . It stars Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta and Burt Lancaster in his final role . It was nominated for three Academy Awards, including for Best Original Score, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture . </P> <P> In 2017, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". </P> <P> Ray Kinsella is a novice Iowa farmer who lives with his wife, Annie, and daughter, Karin . In the opening narration, he explains how he had a troubled relationship with his father, John Kinsella, who had been a devoted baseball fan . While walking through his cornfield one evening, he hears a voice whispering, "If you build it, he will come ." He continues hearing this before finally seeing a vision of a baseball diamond in his field . Annie is skeptical, but she allows him to plow the corn under in order to build a baseball field . As he builds, he tells Karin the story of the 1919 Black Sox Scandal . Months pass and nothing happens; his family faces financial ruin until, one night, Karin spots a uniformed man on the field . Ray recognizes him as Shoeless Joe Jackson, a deceased baseball player idolized by John . Thrilled to be able to play baseball again, he asks to bring others to the field to play . He later returns with the seven other players banned as a result of the 1919 scandal . </P> <P> Ray's brother - in - law, Mark, can't see the players and warns him that he will go bankrupt unless he replants his corn . While in the field, Ray hears the voice again, this time urging him to "ease his pain ." </P>

What did the voice say in field of dreams