MovieChat Forums > The Wizard (1989) Discussion > Haley and the prize money

Haley and the prize money

posted 13 years ago by s_mon_rules
14 replies | jump to latest

I found it rather odd they never talked about the prize money after Jimmy wins. Also, they never explained what happened with Haley. Its almost like she became part of the family or something the way she is riding home with them and the dad puts his arm around her when they leave the dino....

I was expecting her to call her dad to tell him about the money she won at the end or something, but it never happened. Its really a shame they didnt expand on the ending for her at all

ShAnE_MeIsTeR

[–] freestylegreek 13 years ago

Now I think about it your right. I guess it's one of those movies they didn't want to over explain things and just leave it with a happy ending. Jimmy wins the game and they all leave together.

[–] lockon_stratos 12 years ago

I was going to make a thread but here goes. She's just going to visit the Woods for how ever long because she did help to win the money. From there it's up in the air. She travels a lot so staying with the Woods is just another excursion. But now she has friends so she can call them up. Hope she does reach her parents. Her story is the second tragic next to Jimmy.

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[–] knight1983 11 years ago

What was up with her parents anyways?...her dad was always on the road and her mother had gambling problem??

[–] TVippy 11 years ago

Her father was imaginary, as were her friends.

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I own you.

[–] stokd 11 years ago

Actually, her dad wasn't imaginary. Near the middle-ish part of the movie, she mentioned that she'd like to win the money so her and her dad could buy an actual house. He was to arrive home on the night of the championships.

[–] TVippy 11 years ago

He was never shown, so we can only speculate.

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I own you.

[–] herbsuperb 11 years ago

Technically you are correct. Interesting theory. She'd already been outted for lying about her home. Perhaps she was also lying about her father. Perhaps he died, and she's now alone. Her 'friends' are perhaps her father's friends, and they look out for her. They really don't delve enough into Hailey's story to tell for sure.

Curious.

[–] futuremoviewriter 11 years ago

I originally thought that they were adopting her and she'd be their new sister, but now i think that they took custody of her and she lived with them or they found her a new stable home in Utah. or helped her and her father relocate to Utah with the house they always wanted to get. a slightly more pessimistic, but optimistic view is that she went back to Reno and used the money to get that new house, but keeps in regular touch with Corey and Jimmy and they visit each other from time to time. many (positive) ways of figuring it out or deciding on your own interpretation.

[–] GrtOne41 10 years ago

I was always under the impression that her dad was on the road all the time as a trucker trying to get the family back on their feet after her mother's gambling problem ("That's how I learned about craps...").

At the end, there was one of two ways for Hayley to go:

1) - Be 'adopted' by the Woods family who appeared to be reuniting and be a sister of sorts for Jimmy and Corey.

2) - Take her share of the money and go back to Reno to help get the house she's wanted and get her dad away from the constant life on the road.

[–] FireMinstrel 10 years ago

I doubt the money is going to be enough to allow the father more than a nice vacation(which I'm sure he and Hayley would like, don't get me wrong!). $12,500 is a decent chunk of change in 1989...probably 25 percent of a 2-bedroom house, but he'll still have to go back on the road to make ends meet. Only now, Hayley will have a nice little house to come back home to. It's not stated if her mother is completely out of the picture, or in rehab or something. Truth is, her father could easily be arrested for neglect, and lose custody of Hayley with they way they're living right now. Maybe they're better off relocating and looking for a house in Corey's neighborhood.
So in short, a combination of the two options for Hayley.

[–] PopperTheKungFu-Dragon 9 years ago

Perhaps she was also lying about her father. Perhaps he died, and she's now alone. Her 'friends' are perhaps her father's friends, and they look out for her.

Yeah, this is an interesting theory, but wouldn't one of her father's friends take her in if he had really died?

Poorly Lived and Poorly Died, Poorly Buried and No One Cried

[–] DeRo64 9 years ago

Maybe they wanted to, but then Jenny probably said something like "No! I'm done with this! I can't take it anymore'"

[–] psychozealot 8 years ago

Has anyone been paying attention? She is just hitching a ride with them and will be left with her father WHO IS REAL EVEN IF UNSEEN, with the money to get them a house, BUT HE WILL STILL BE A TRUCKER! And... HER MOTHER IS *beep* DEAD!!! She was a showgirl, with a gambing problem, that dilapadated their money and then, well, died, leaving them screwed. They will be parting ways for now, but their friendship is forever (And maybe something more than friendship with Corey, they will have to be penpals 'though, meetin each other ocassionally. penboyfriend and pengirlfriend)

[–] Faridah (1369) 5 years ago

I never questioned this as a kid or teen but I just watched it and wondered what became of her. It's sad to think she just goes back to her dad who is gone all the time and her mom with her own troubles. But that is life.