Adaptation · written by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman · 2002

Charlie chooses to approach Orlean and discovers her intimate life with Laroche among the ghost orchids.

Scene 191 of 202 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act three

Donald
Kaufman
Laroche
Orlean

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:38 into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 191

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.
Scenes 106–126
The swamp is ordinary, Orlean’s research fails, and Charlie experiments with increasingly personal versions of the book.
Scenes 127–144
Charlie finds a way to focus the material by putting himself in it, then commits to meeting Orlean.
Scene 184
Donald’s notes push Charlie toward the brothers, the swamp, and a dramatic ending.
Just before
Scene 188
Charlie says he does not want to meet Orlean, but Donald cheers him up and the twins sing together.
Scene 189
Orlean leaves the airport with Laroche as the brothers follow in a car.
Scene 190
Donald teaches Charlie about building an image system while they pursue Laroche’s van.
Scene 191
This scene

191EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - LATER

The van pulls into the driveway of a neat, middle-class house. Kaufman and Donald drive by, in time to see Orlean and Laroche emerge from the van. Orlean seems different now: more exotic. She's wearing some kind of sexy sarong. Donald drives up the street, parks, gets out of the car, and watches as Laroche lugs Orlean's suitcase into the house.

DONALD

I'll get a closer look. You wait here.

KAUFMAN

(momentously)

No, I want to go. I should go. I mean,

it should be me, right? I mean...

DONALD

Go for it, bro. You the man.

Kaufman gets out of the car. Donald gets in, peruses Kaufman's script. Kaufman walks past the house, trying to peer in windows. He sees nothing. He slinks around back.

In the yard, Kaufman finds a greenhouse. It's filled with row upon row of ghost orchids.

KAUFMAN

Holy...

There's movement in a window in the house. Kaufman ducks.

LAROCHE (O.S.)

Darlin', I dunno what's come over you!

Kaufman crawls over to the house, lifts his face to the window. Orlean and Laroche are laughing, kissing, groping, and undressing each other. Kaufman is heartbroken but transfixed. Suddenly Laroche locks eyes with Kaufman.

ORLEAN

Don't stop, Johnny.

Laroche jumps up and runs naked to the back door.

ORLEAN (CONT'D)

Johnny! Where are you going?

Kaufman makes a mad dash around the side of the house. Laroche cuts him off, grabs him, drags him into the house.