The Silence of the Lambs - Who Wins the Scene?

In drama, two characters walk into a room. Each wants something from the other. The question of the scene is: who gets what they want?

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Music: RJD2 - "Ghostwriter"

Hi, my name is Tony and this is a quick
episode of Every Frame a Painting.

--Dr. Lecter my name is Clarice Starling
May I speak with you?

Today’s topic is winning the scene. In
drama, two characters walk into a room.

Each wants something from the other.
--May I see your credentials?

The question of the scene is:
who gets what they want?

--Closer.

First you’ll notice they both look right
into the lens, examining each other.

Even though Lecters in jail this framing
shows him and Clarice as equals

But, once he lands the first blow:

--That expires in one week.
You’re not real FBI, are you?

We move over-the-shoulder,
with each person

building up a defense.
And who has the power here?

--Sit, please.
He does.

From here on out, we’re always looking
slightly down on her, slightly up on him

--Now then, tell me,
what did Miggs say to you?

While he looks us right in the eye,
she looks off camera.

Right now we're inside her head.
Jonathan Demme will reinforce this

by having the camera look
where Clarice is looking

only to bring us back to Lecter.
--You know Florence?

Remember shes here to get him to look at
a survey. Every time she's too obvious

--I’m only asking you to look at this.
Either you will or you won’t.

We go back to this standoffish angle.
But Hannibal Lecter is curious

about one thing…
--You know why he’s called Buffalo Bill?

So we shift. Now she looks us
in the eye, he looks off.

We’ve moved inside his point of view
because he’s genuinely interested.

And the relationship is starting to thaw
You can actually tell

the exact moment it happens.

--Most serial killers keep some trophy.
--I didn’t.

--No, no you ate yours.

We think Clarice is winning.

She’s gotten him to look at the survey,
and we get a close-up

emphasizing its importance.

But then Lecter decides
to turn the tables.

--You know what you look like to me with
your good bag and your cheap shoes

you look like a rube.

This is the first time the camera
dollies during the entire scene,

and it ends by framing Lecter normally,
while Clarice is short-sided off-balance

Just when she thought she was winning…

she lost.

If you’re paying attention you’ll notice
that Lecter is no longer looking

directly into the lens,
but ever so slightly off.

Because they’re not seeing
eye to eye anymore.

--You fly back to school little Starling

He walks away from the camera, mirrored
in the next shot when she does the same.

After Miggs does his thing,
we get the second camera move

and the very first
two-shot in the entire scene.

Finally, they’re together
in the same frame,

the camera looking up,
and we understand that

this is the beginning of a relationship.

--I don't think Miggs can manage again
so soon, even though he's crazy, GO NOW.

What makes the dynamic interesting is
Hannibal Lecter wins the scene

and then gives up his win for his own
reasons. Clarice gets what she wanted

but it feels like a humiliation. If you
enjoyed this little exercise, I highly

recommend watching other interactions
between these two characters,

each of which has a slightly different
answer to the question of

“Who wins the scene?"

My name is Tony and this was a quick
episode of Every Frame a Painting.