Liotta: At first, I thought 'Field of Dreams' concept was 'dumb'

>>> ray liotta , perhaps his most famous film role was mobster henry hill in the 1990 movie "goodfellas" a role he turned down a chance to audition for "batman" and with the dvr you can see either movie in just a few clicks. nobody finds your entertainment like tivo.

>> you know i'm going to kill you. you know that, don't you? it doesn't have to happen. it shouldn't happen here. just put the gun down.

>> welcome back to " morning joe ." joining us actor ray liotta .

>> this is big.

>> one of the stars of the new film "killing them softly." very nice to have you on the show.

>> thanks.

>> thanks for coming on.

>> mike, who is better?

>> i mean -- mika knows who you are. she grew up in a cave.

>> i do. i'm not allowed out.

>> in her father's household. dr. brzezinski.

>> it's just that i wasn't allowed --

>> it's a sad story. it's the iron curtain comes here from poland.

>> ever see "goodfellas," mika?

>> i have.

>> what happens in it?

>> i'm not allowed but i did know him and you have a great face. yeah.

>> yours isn't so bad either.

>> seriously.

>> despite all of his credentials, all the credentials he does have, he would live forever with the one tracking shot through the kitchen that one tracking shot takes it from the streets, down the steps, through the kitchen, the table. finally kick back and turn on the tv, flip through the channels and field of dreams is on. and it just makes you tear up if you're a guy every time. but it hit me, he's like 20 years ago. god.

>> actually it was before "good fellas." it was my fourth. and that was '91. '89, i think. it was a while ago.

>> let's talk about "killing them softly." barnicle was giving background. this is a book and an idea that's been around for a while.

>> when did the book come out? i don't even know.

>> probably 1980 , early 1980s . and the movie, from what i understand of it and what i've seen, what you're seeing here, the movie is very true to the book. i don't know who did the screenplay.

>> edgar dominick, the director.

>> but it's a very small story that is a great story filled with, you know, the real characters, the dialogue is fantastic, obviously, because it will tell us the story. you're involved. it's a card game you run.

>> i look over a card game . i'm a nice guy . i once robbed a card game . the card game gets robbed again. they think it's me, so they bring brad pitt in to get me. and they bring in james gandolfini because brad pitt 's character doesn't like doing the hits anymore and it's just kind of like what happens.

>> what was it like?

>> i really didn't. it was -- he shoots me, but he shot me one day and i got shot two days later.

>> did you get to talk to him at all?

>> what was it like not working --

>> hold on a second. i'm setting this up. seems like a nice enough guy?

>> very nice.

>> did you have a chance in the short time you talked to him to ask him what the hell he was thinking when he did the chanel commercials? i mean, seriously.

>> a question as opposed to just noting it.

>> if it's okay.

>> you made this movie you said was your third or fourth movie. joe was talking about thanksgiving, it's on television all the time. on some channel it's on everywhere because it's a classic, right? when you think back on the experience of doing that, what most stands out in your mind when you realize that you were making the movie that was going to be like a modern classic or did that not occur to you?

>> not at all.

>> it was only my fourth movie. my mother was really sick during the period. here i was working with great actors and scorcese as a director. i enjoyed it but it's bittersweet.

>> and --

>> that just brought it down, didn't it?

>> and, i'm curious, i remember -- i remember frank talking about when he first went to jimmy stewart and told him it's a wonderful life was about. i pitched it for 15 minutes and looked into his face and realized he had no idea what the hell i was talking about. when you first heard the concept -- by the way, because you're hearing voices .

>> i couldn't visualize what they were doing and i never read the book. i said this is crazy. i'll do it but it's crazy.

>> i like you a lot.

>> i told you he had a great face.

>> you did tell me that.

>> it is. you could be like -- and it just feeds into your range. seriously. evil, good, all there. perfect.

>> i love it. not self-consumed unlike all of us on the set. the movie is "killing them softly." ray, thank you so much and, by the way, talk to brad, okay. not good. not good.

>>> ray liotta was the original choice in the 2006 mob film requesting the departed." mark wahlberg ended up with the role. if you had tivo premiere and the web simultaneously you could watch that movie at a moment's notice. put it all at your fingertips.