Buried at the bottom of this Atlantic article about Silence Of The Lambs is trivia I probably once knew but had forgotten: the first choices for the lead roles.

• Michelle Pfeiffer as Clarice Starling
• Sean Connery as Hannibal Lecter
• Gene Hackman as Jack Crawford

I don’t imagine Gene Hackman would have been a problem, and even Michelle Pfeiffer might have done serviceable work. But the very thought of Sean Connery Captain Ramiusing his way through the role of Lecter has filled me with unsettling dread all morning. I’m going to go watch it just to end the alternate-universe nightmare.