The Silence of the Lambs

A closer look at the story

The Silence of the Lambs centres on Clarice Starling, a gifted and determined young woman shaped by the FBI's academy. She is racing to save a woman held by a killer who murders his victims and skins them. Jack Crawford of the Bureau sends her to see someone he believes could shed light on the case: Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Lecter is a psychiatrist of exceptional intelligence, and also a violent psychopath locked up for life for a string of murders and acts of cannibalism. Crawford is convinced that Clarice, as a young woman, might be the one to coax him into talking. To get anything useful out of Lecter, however, Clarice first has to earn his trust, which means spending time face to face with a deeply dangerous mind. Jonathan Demme directed this 119-minute crime thriller from 1991, adapted by Ted Tally from Thomas Harris's novel. Jodie Foster plays Clarice, Anthony Hopkins plays Hannibal Lecter and Scott Glenn plays Jack Crawford, with Ted Levine and Anthony Heald also in the cast. Its disturbing subject makes it suitable for adult viewers only.