Stupidity: Lecter fires the first bullet to alert the police that something is up, and the lift goes up, then comes down. Now in all this, only 6 or 7 go up the floor where Lecter was. Why aren't police sent in groups to investigate every floor? Lecter could have been anywhere, instead there are about 30 police huddled on the lobby floor.
Stupidity: Why does Lecter need to spend the night in Memphis? The flight from Baltimore to Memphis is only 60-90 minutes, and they're on a government plane. His "deal" only goes into effect if Catherine is found. Considering how dangerous he is, wouldn't they just turn around and fly back to Baltimore after the short meeting with the Senator and not risk moving him to some other location, that it turns out is poorly guarded?
Stupidity: Clarice enters the ward with the most dangerous inmates, which is guarded by at least 2 male nurses and an officer, with CCTV and through 2 gates with bars that let the sound out perfectly. Before she enters, Barney the nurse even tells her he'll be watching, and Lecter is obviously the most important patient of the very small wing of the hospital. Clarice stays there barely a couple of minutes; the inmates begin to make a big ruckus, screaming wildly, but there's absolutely nobody to be seen at the gate, where everyone within earshot of the screaming patients would at least peek. Especially counting the fact that she already broke the regulation about getting close to the glass rather early in the chat, which should have alerted the guards. (00:12:00)
Suggested correction: Eye color also can change with age. This happens in 10 to 15 percent of the Caucasian population (people who generally have lighter eye colors).
Babies born with blue eyes can develop brown or darker eyes as melanin is produced. And while eye color can get lighter with age (older than Clarice usually), a child her age with brown eyes won't develop blue eyes. They could turn green maybe, but not the blue color seen.
Bishop73
I just rewatched the scene you were talking about and they're not blue eyes they're actually hazel and the adult Clarice could be wearing contact lenses.
Joey221995