Jodie Foster production, and he later credited her for helping him define the character. Released in February 1991, "The Silence of the Lambs" became one of the biggest hits of the year, grossing close to $273 million, with a positive critical reception. Foster received largely positive reviews and won Academy, Golden Globe, and BAFTA awards for her portrayal of Starling; "Silence" won five Academy Awards overall, becoming one of the few films to win in all main categories. In contrast, some reviewers criticized the film as misogynist for its focus on brutal murders of women, and homophobic due to its portrayal of
The Silence of the Lambs (film) as Tally explained, "[Demme] read my first draft not long after it was finished, and we met, then I was just startled by the speed of things. We met in May 1989 and were shooting in November. I don't remember any big revisions." Jodie Foster was interested in playing the role of Clarice Starling immediately after reading the novel. However, in spite of the fact that Foster had just won an Academy Award for her performance in the 1988 film "The Accused", Demme was not convinced that she was right for the part. Having just collaborated on "Married to the