Adaptation · written by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman · 2002

Valerie asks Orlean to adapt her article into a book and then to consider a film option.

Scene 116 of 202 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Orlean
Valerie

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 57 min into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 116

Unable to find a conventional story in The Orchid Thief, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman turns his own crisis into an increasingly self-referential adaptation.

Scenes 1–9
Charlie inhabits an isolated, self-condemning world while Orlean’s book supplies a distant model of obsession.
Scenes 10–88
Charlie wants to write honestly and make flowers matter, while also longing to be desired and understood.
Scenes 89–105
He leaves his familiar writing room and goes to Florida to search for the story firsthand.
Just before
Scene 113
A Florida waitress smiles at Charlie but looks through him.
Scene 114
Charlie highlights Orlean’s writing and stares at her author photograph.
Scene 115
Laroche tells Orlean she should have gone with him; Valerie praises the line in Orlean’s published article.
Scene 116
This scene

116INT. RESTAURANT - MIDDAY

Busy lunch crowd. Valerie sits at a table with Orlean and an open New Yorker magazine.

ORLEAN

Thank you. Thanks very much.

VALERIE

We're big fans.

ORLEAN

Oh, thank you.

VALERIE

And Laroche is such a fun character.

ORLEAN

Yeah, John's a character all right.

VALERIE

It's funny and fresh. And sad in a way.

ORLEAN

Well, thanks. Thank you.

VALERIE

So we were wondering, what's next?

ORLEAN

Oh, um, Random House wants me to expand

it into a book. So I'll be doing that.

VALERIE

And there'll be more of Laroche?

ORLEAN

Yeah. More John, more orchids.

VALERIE

Y'know, we'd really like to option it.

ORLEAN

(laughing)

You want to make this into a movie?

VALERIE

Laroche is such a fun character. So...