Adaptation · written by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman · 2002

Orlean asks Laroche to take her to the orchid show, and he complains about his van.

Scene 43 of 202 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Orlean
Laroche

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 25 min into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 43

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.
Scene 10
Valerie and Margaret give Charlie the assignment to adapt The Orchid Thief.
Scene 31
Donald’s rivalry and affection give Charlie a living counterpoint to his isolated view of himself.
Just before
Scene 40
Alice tells Charlie she loves orchids while he watches her at the show.
Scene 41
Charlie finishes masturbating and lies alone in the dark.
Scene 42
A girl swings while her distant parents sit apart in a suburban yard.
Scene 43
This scene

43EXT. HOTEL PARKING LOT - MORNING

Orlean leans against a car and smokes. A tiny, lost figure. There's a honk. Orlean snaps out of her reverie to see Laroche screeching to a stop in his banged-up van.

ORLEAN

(to camera)

A few days after the hearing, Laroche

took me to an orchid show in Miami.

She opens the passenger door.

ORLEAN (cont'd)

Hi. Thanks for picking --

LAROCHE

I want you to know this van is a piece of

shit. When I hit the jackpot, I'll buy

myself an awesome car, maybe an Aurora.

Orlean nods, climbs in, and tries to rearrage some of the junk on the front seat so she'll have a place to sit.

LAROCHE (cont'd)

Sit on top of that. You won't hurt it.

She situates herself on the seat. Laroche lurches off.