Adaptation · written by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman · 2002

Charlie admits to his therapist that he is fixated on Alice and unsure whether she likes him.

Scene 51 of 202 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Therapist
Kaufman

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 31 min into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 51

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 48
Young Laroche watches the night from a bedroom surrounded by turtles.
Scene 49
Young Laroche tells his mother that collecting every turtle is the only purpose that makes life worth living.
Scene 50
Laroche recounts moving from turtles to fossils, mirrors, and other obsessions as each passion ends.
Scene 51
This scene

51INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE - DAY

Kaufman sits in silence across from his female therapist.

THERAPIST

So --

KAUFMAN

I'm still obsessed with that girl.

THERAPIST

The Burger King girl? Dimples and sparkly

eyes?

KAUFMAN

California Pizza Kitchen.

THERAPIST

Oh. Red hair and nice? Likes orchids?

KAUFMAN

Yeah. She's really nice. I feel pretty

certain she likes me maybe.

THERAPIST

So do you think you'll talk to this one?