What are your opinions about the relationship between Agent Starling and Dr Hannibal Lecter?

I can't count how many times I have seen the movie and I was just wondering, about other people's opinions. What do you think about the relationship the two of them had? I'm just asking about the movie version as the one in the book was much more explicit.

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Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M

I think he saw her as something of a 'naive stray' when they first meet.
A feeble attempt by either Chilton or Crawford to see if she could somehow entice him into revealing details about either 'Buffalo Bill' or indeed his own crimes.
("I'm not sure who is the greater fool"

I think he says as much when reading the questionaire she gave him.

But i think she surprised him with the answers to the questions he asked her. Her honesty and plain speaking (The 'truth about Multiple-Miggs' etc.) were probably something he hadn't heard anyone say to him in a long time.
So i guess he has to re-adjust his thinking toward her.

When he asked her about how she felt when she found Benjamin Raspail (or his head at least)in the rear of the funeral car in the storage lock-up.) She was honest again and that i think kinda surprised him.

So there are all these incidents which probably see his view of her evolve from scared newbie to serious and resolute 'equal' to someone to be admired.

But ultimately I think he sees her as someone who he would have taken care of in another life.
Kinda 'Father-Daughter'.