Adaptation · written by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman · 2002

Laroche beats Charlie and, with Orlean, plots to kill him before Donald watches from outside.

Scene 192 of 202 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act three

Laroche
Kaufman
Orlean

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:39 into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 192

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 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
Charlie chooses to approach Orlean and discovers her intimate life with Laroche among the ghost orchids.
Scene 192
This scene

192INT. HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Laroche throws Kaufman down into a chair. The chair slides across the floor, tips over. Orlean seems uninterested. She kisses Laroche's leg.

LAROCHE

Who the hell are you?

Kaufman notices Laroche has a set of beautiful, white teeth.

KAUFMAN

I just... nobody, I just --

Laroche shakes Orlean off his leg, kicks Kaufman in the gut.

LAROCHE

Who the fuck are you?

KAUFMAN

Um. I'm just. I was at the wrong house.

I'm looking for the Johnson family.

LAROCHE

I got your Johnson family right here.

Laroche kicks Kaufman in the head. Orlean kisses Laroche's back. Kaufman whimpers.

ORLEAN

Honey, come back to bed.

LAROCHE

Who the hell sent you? Rudy?

KAUFMAN

I'm not --

Again Laroche kicks Kaufman in the head. His scalp bleeds.

KAUFMAN (cont'd)

I'm the screenwriter.

LAROCHE

What the fuck does that mean?

KAUFMAN

I'm the guy adapting her book. Her book

about you.

This registers with Laroche.

LAROCHE

Jesus Fucking Christ.

(then, trying to make sense)

Why the fuck were you in my backyard?

KAUFMAN

I was, um, trying... I don't know.

Orlean is unforgiving.

ORLEAN

Who's the bloody fat guy?

LAROCHE

This is the fellow adapting your book for

the movies, darling'.

ORLEAN

(excited)

Really? I wanted to meet --

(realizing)

Oh. What does he know?