# SILENCE OF THE LAMBS question (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 14, 2005, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423 "2005-03-14T05:33:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/1 "2005-03-14T05:33:08Z")
Something I’m not sure about (I’ve read the book but it’s been years and years): How did Jame Gumb come to be living in Ms. Lippman’s house? Was there some connection between them? ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/2 "2005-03-14T06:58:58Z")
I thought she was his landlady until she died/he killed her & that she was the rotted corpse Clarice found in the tub. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/3 "2005-03-14T13:43:04Z")
I think (OK, _assume_) that Jame worked for Mrs. Lippman doing tailoring and dressmaking. Then he “took over” residence without changing his official address. That’s why Jack and the SWAT team went to his old house. I think that it was clear that it was Mrs. Lippman in the tub. I can’t imagine how that basement must have smelled. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/4 "2005-03-14T13:52:39Z")
Yes Gumb introduces himself to Starling as Mr Gordon and claims to have bought the house from Ms Lippmann two years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/5 "2005-03-14T16:01:00Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > I thought she was his landlady until she died/he killed her & that she was the rotted corpse Clarice found in the tub. Was that in the movie or just the book? It’s been a while, but I don’t remember her finding a body. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Unkempt\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@The\_Unkempt\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Unkempt_One)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/6 "2005-03-14T16:18:31Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > Was that in the movie or just the book? It’s been a while, but I don’t remember her finding a body. It was in the movie. As Clarice was going room by room in the basement she found a bathroom with what looked like a very rotted corpse in the tub. It was quite gross, looking as though the corpse was marinating in some sort of horrible brownish beef and potato stew. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/7 "2005-03-14T16:20:58Z")
> [@The Unkempt One](#): > > It was in the movie. As Clarice was going room by room in the basement she found a bathroom with what looked like a very rotted corpse in the tub. It was quite gross, looking as though the corpse was marinating in some sort of horrible brownish beef and potato stew. In the book as well - Clarice sees a hand sticking out of a tub, and notices the second hand on the watch is still moving, just before the lights go out. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/8 "2005-03-14T16:25:57Z")
I’ll have to watch it again. (The first time I saw it, I didn’t even pick up on Dr. Chilton getting off the plane and being followed by Hannibal.) By the way, are the books worth reading even if I’ve seen the movies? ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/9 "2005-03-14T16:47:44Z")
I personally think the books are worth reading in addition to the movies. Speaking of the book _Hannibal_, I have a question: [spoiler]A tourist family happens to be filming as Lecter very publically murders the Italian police commander in Florence. The novel states that the resulting footage became instantly famous, in the manner of “the Zapruder film of the JFK assassination, and the suicide of Edgar Bolger”. I have never been able to find any mention of this supposed real-life suicide. Did Harris make it up? It seems like an odd thing for him to do. It sounds like it might be similar to the filmed suicide of Pennsylvania politician Bud Dwyer\* – if this is what he’s referring to, was he compelled for some reason to change the name? \*A brief attempt at googling turned up lots of links, all of which looked workplace-questionable. If interested, google, “Bud Dwyer” AND suicide[/spoiler] Thanks, ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/10 "2005-03-14T17:27:08Z")
For the question on Hannibal, if the guy on this obsessive [Hannibal annotation site](http://hannibal.hannotations.com/hannibal3.html) can’t find it then it isn’t to be found. He thinks Harris made it up. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/11 "2005-03-14T18:25:11Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > By the way, are the books worth reading even if I’ve seen the movies? Better than the movies, particularly _Hannibal_. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/12 "2005-03-14T22:43:56Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > For the question on Hannibal, if the guy on this obsessive [Hannibal annotation site](http://hannibal.hannotations.com/hannibal3.html) can’t find it then it isn’t to be found. He thinks Harris made it up. Good lord, somebody has a combination of a strong interest in a novel and a whole lot of time on his hands, doesn’t he though? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/13 "2005-03-14T22:50:48Z")
So as you understand it, Frederica met Gumb while working for Mrs. Lippman? Did he take the “naughty” pictures of her? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/14 "2005-03-14T23:19:36Z")
BTW, for those who aren’t aware, there is a prequel [novel](http://www.randomhouse.com/trade/publicity/pdfs/HarrisAnnouncement102804.pdf) and [film](http://imdb.com/title/tt0367959/) in the works entitled _Behind the Mask_. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/15 "2005-03-15T01:06:27Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > So as you understand it, Frederica met Gumb while working for Mrs. Lippman? Did he take the “naughty” pictures of her? Yes and yes - both are detailed in the book. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/16 "2005-03-15T01:52:09Z")
Yep. I figured though, that if anyone would know something that guy didn’t (specifically, whether there was a real-life filmed suicide named Edgar Bolger), they’d be on SDMB. > [@Sampiro](#): > > Good lord, somebody has a combination of a strong interest in a novel and a whole lot of time on his hands, doesn’t he though? ---
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silence-of-the-lambs-question-open-spoilers/294423/17 "2005-03-15T01:54:41Z")
The books says > [@](#): > > Raspail told Dr. Lecter that Gumb was obsessed with moths, that he had flayed people in the past . . . that he had a job with the Mr. Hide leather-goods company in Calumet City, but was taking money from an old lady in Belvedere, Ohio, who had made linings for Mr. Hide, Inc. One day Gumb would take everything the old lady had, Raspail predicted . . . When Mrs. Lippman died on a trip to Florida with Gumb, he inherited everything–the old building with its living quarters and empty storefront and vast basement, and a comfortable amount of money. So I’m not sure if it is Mrs. Lippman in the tub. I don’t deny the possibility that Gumb killed her, but I don’t think he did it in Ohio. The book goes into further details about Gumb’s activities prior to skinning women: > [@](#): > > He had the wonderful freedom of the basement. Room to work and play. At first it was only games–hunting young women through the black warren, creating amusing tableaux in remote rooms and sealing them up, opening the doors again only to throw in a little lime. > > Fredrica Bimmel began to help Mrs. Lippman in the lat year of the old lady’s life. Fredrica was picking up sewing at Mrs. Lippman’s when she met Jame Gumb. Fredrica Bimmel was not the first young woman he killed, but she was the first one he killed for her skin. In the book, Gumb didn’t take dirty pictures of Fredrica. Starling actually found the photos (which were considerably more pornographic) in Catherine Martin’s room (the daughter of the senator). Though it did seem that Fredrica and Gumb had some sort of relationship, because they found letters from her in his house addressed to “Dearest Secret Friend in my Breast.” She also wrote him letters from the pit. Lest you think I’m obsessed, I just finished re-reading this book, so it’s all a bit fresh.