MovieChat Forums > Great Expectations (1998) Discussion > How did Arthur Lustig avoid his executio...

How did Arthur Lustig avoid his execution that was supposed to happen?

posted 9 years ago by Matthew7819
1 reply | jump to latest

Spoilers for those who have not seen the film.

But after Finn helps Arthur Lustig escape and goes back home we see Finn watching the news and it is revealed that Lustig had been recaptured again and was scheduled to die by Lethal Injection March 13TH, then many years later when Finn was all grown up we learn that Arthur Lustig was still alive and well and was being pursued by gangsters that wanted to kill him.

Now it states that he had killed a Florida Mob Boss in the news report after he had been caught again, okay great, his death sentence was due soon after that by the state of Florida, then when Finn was all grown up Artur was a free man again and had become his benefactor and paid for all of his expenses in New York, the loft, the gallery show, the rent and bills and living expenses, and bought the entire art gallery of Finns artwork and drawings, all of it was because of him.

But the movie and the character of Lustig never explains how he got out of his death date by lethal injection, did he escape again? Or was his lawyer Jerry Ragnos really that good that he had been able to get him off of death row and later on secure a parole?

They never explain this and after Arthur Lustig is arrested you have to assume that he will get his death sentence carried out because the news says it is going to happen soon anyway, even if he was pardoned by the governor he would probably get life in prison for murder, no way would a convicted hitman like him get parole for murder and be a free man years later.

That part always made me wonder about how he got free and was able to be Finn's benefactor, how he would be able to do it after he had been in prison and had little chance of getting released, yet he was a free man at the end of the movie, his gangster friends didnt forget or forgive him though.

[–] TheMonkofDestiny 8 years ago

Thread's a bit old, but like that's ever stopped anyone from commenting before...

But the movie and the character of Lustig never explains how he got out of his death date by lethal injection, did he escape again? Or was his lawyer Jerry Ragnos really that good that he had been able to get him off of death row and later on secure a parole?

It's assumed that he escaped again since there's nothing short of a miracle that was going to allow him to walk on both a murder charge and (presumably) any charges relating to his escape attempt.

The character somewhat indirectly confirms this through his dialogue exchange with Finn at the end of the film, mentioning to him that he'd been out of the country and able to make enough money for himself and to be able to make Finn's dreams come true.

That part always made me wonder about how he got free and was able to be Finn's benefactor, how he would be able to do it after he had been in prison and had little chance of getting released, yet he was a free man at the end of the movie, his gangster friends didnt forget or forgive him though.

He was definitely not a free man (the details of his second escape, while a mystery potentially worth at least a passing explanation, don't necessarily add to the plot as far as the film is concerned since it's Finn's story that's being told and not Lustig's). Aside from being hunted by the other mobsters, his intention to flee to Paris makes it clear that he was unable to remain in the US because he'd also risk getting recognized by authorities and likely be facing execution if apprehended again.