Adaptation · written by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman · 2002

Charlie dictates a creation-of-life opening and insists on silence before the story begins.

Scene 60 of 202 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Kaufman

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 36 min into a 1:57 film

The story so farBefore scene 60

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 57
Laroche tells Orlean that orchid collecting becomes a sickness, while she resists his enthusiasm.
Scene 58
Charlie piles up books on his abandoned interests and begins reading Darwin.
Scene 59
Darwin’s voice reads about life descending from a common origin.
Scene 60
This scene

60INT. EMPTY BEDROOM - NIGHT

Kaufman looks off into space, thinking. Silence. Suddenly, he grabs his mini-recorder and paces like a caged animal.

KAUFMAN

Okay, opening of movie. Four billion

years ago. Life has not begun. Endless,

barren terrain. Silence. Silence.