Original artwork, not a still
A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.
— The Silence of the Lambs • 1991
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is Lecter at his most chilling because he is so polite: a throwaway dinner menu delivered in a cultured voice, topped with a wet sucking noise through his teeth. It tells Clarice, and us, that insults and psychology tricks are only appetisers to him. Fans quote it whenever someone tries to test their patience, and the fava beans and Chianti have become the shorthand for the whole character, down to cooking-show and wine-shop jokes.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Silence of the LambsShow the scene
The Silence of the Lambs (1991): FBI trainee Clarice Starling visits Dr. Hannibal Lecter in his cell at the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, supposedly for a psychological survey but really to pick his brain on the killer Buffalo Bill. Lecter turns courteous to dismissive once he guesses what Jack Crawford is after, and dissects her accent, shoes and West Virginia roots. Starling hits back by telling him to look at himself. Lecter answers with the census taker story, makes a slurping hiss at the glass, and sends her away with a whispered "fly, fly, fly". The American Film Institute ranked the line 21st on its list of the top 100 movie quotes.
Sources (2)
- Wikiquote: The Silence of the Lambs (film)Dialogue section, first cell scene after the rube speechReference checked
- Wikipedia: The Silence of the Lambs (film)Plot section and AFI recognitionReference checked
Context reviewed
