The Silence of the Lambs great scene - Clarice & Hannibal's last meeting

I do not own any of this footage. This is not done for profit or exploitation but for fair use. The rights belong to Strong Heart Productions and Orion Pictures (1991).

Directed by Jonathan Demme

Written by Ted Tally (screenplay) and Thomas Harris (novel)

Starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins

[Jay-qhuv]

He’s the one locked up but she’s the one pacing around like she’s in a cage.

[TheTrueNarthumpulous]

What's beautiful about this scene to me is that the reason Hannibal wanted to hear about Clarice's past and psychoanalyze her wasn't just for his own twisted poetic amusement, but for her as well. He gave her the gift of self absolution and essentially helped to guide her through the dark night of the soul. Homicidal cannibalism aside, he is still a psychiatrist at heart. And he knew she had the emotional intelligence and intuition to register his insights. Which is why he assumed the role of a kind of "dark teacher" for her. Hannibal despises the selfish nature of most people, but he had a lot of respect for Clarice because he came to recognize through out their many meetings that she was a genuinely good person. Her commitment to justice wasn't out of naivete, but out of the courage to follow through with what she thought was right. And he admired that despite everything she'd lost, she still remained a champion for good. Which, from his more sinister perspective was some sort of a cathartic abstraction. I think there might have even been a small part of him that envied Clarice's ability to preserve that spark of purity within herself that had been destroyed within him so long ago. I feel like the undeniable power of this scene finds itself in that we witness the culmination of the light and dark aspects of both characters integrate into one and they both grow into a more enlightened version of themselves through the interaction. Him giving her the final clue gave her the information she needed to find Buffalo Bill, but the intensive psychoanalysis gave her the strength and moral sanctification he knew she would need to see her mission through. She needed to face herself. It was an act of love on his part, showing that, as much of a monster as he is, he is capable of being compassionate. When it suits his palate.

[DrKeez]

6:06 Lector realizes that unlike her colleagues, Clarice is not doing this to be in the newspapers, or for her career... Catherine was her lamb she was trying to save from the slaughter of evil. This made her worthy of his final clue that led her straight to the killer. The little stroke he gave her finger was significant, he had fallen for her.

[becksdennis]

I hope you guys take into consideration that Anthony Hopkins (Hannibal Lecter) won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1991, and hes only shown on screen for a little over 16 minutes

[ThailandXpress]

When people say “they don’t make movies like this anymore.”, this is what they mean. This scene is timeless.

[CyanideSublime]

When Hannibal blinks, he cares about the conversation he's having. Throughout the first half of the movie they don't - his eyes watch for weaknesses. Like how a cat's eyes are calm around its owner, the cat is in control.

[ChrisWolff]

The acting and writing in this film is on another level. You don't see acting and dialogue this incredible these days.

[TheWalterHWhite]

At 5:00 when Clarice says "I thought if I could just save one, " if you listen closely you'll hear a distant crash. A set member dropped a heavy wrench. The director said that he was afraid that it would ruin the scene by distracting Hopkins/Foster. Both remained in character and finished the take. After cut was called, Jodie yelled out "what the hell was that noise! "

[alessandrobressani]

People always mention the genius of the first meeting but this one has to be my favorite

[Channel-ewdr]

"You still wake up sometimes, don't you? Wake up in the dark and hear the screaming of the lambs." I get chills every time. What a masterful writing, what phenomenal performances!

[whatsnxt]

the finger stroke almost gave me a heart attack

[dr.aisaitl]

6:14 a glimpse of the humanity left in Hannibal, such an incredible thing considering how he is the entire movie

[DSensitize]

It occurred to me, Hannibal is so grateful to Clarice for sharing her confession because Hannibal, whose life has been a living Hell from the beginning--he's been a monster his entire life--gets to share in the Hell of someone else for just a moment. It's the closest to intimacy that he will ever get. It's sad, and beautiful.

[TheMSupreme]

''Don't your eyes seek out the things you want?''

So much depth in that moment as he asks her that question without breaking his stare...

[MOrules]

I can see why Jodi Foster didn't want to do the sequel. The Clarice she played really was too incorruptible to fall for Hannibal in that way, which is exactly why he fell for her. It's kinda sad, but understandable, that everyone got so fascinated with Hannibal that later works had no interest in developing Agent Starling.

[albkmj]

He didn't blink ONCE until the very end when he said thank you. BRILLIANT ACTING on both of their parts!!! They both earned the Oscars for this one!

[erwind]

It really hit me when she told him it was his turn to tell her the name, and his reply was "Dr. Chilton, I presume. I think you know each other", while smirking. Jodie does a magnificent job of showing shock and pain at that moment of betrayal. The scene has every interaction, Cop/Criminal, Doctor/Patient, Psychopath/Victim. The sadism he exhibits at that moment when she's most vulnerable after recounting the origin of her brokenness is just staggering. It amounts to him saying "I'll help you. No, I won't. Yes, I will. Never mind. Oh, don't forget your case file" *wink*. He uses the opportunity to toy with her and confirm his control. I always find the shot of the cell's bars as they're dragging her away to be a great symbol of the fact that the viewer can't easily discern who really is behind bars and who is free. Is it worse to be physically caged with total control of your emotions or to be caged in your mind within a prison of your past trauma?

[tylerrobinson]

Brave Clarice...you will let me know when those lamb stop screaming, won’t you?

Powerful words/ scene.

[bmillerdrums]

The world is much more interesting with you in it...

[natalieps]

These 2 nailed it won them both their leading actor oscars !!! I love how he says no.. that is incidental. So many great lines also when he says did crawford send u for one last weedle before ur both booted off the case lol!!