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A New Leaf | 
| Actors: Rose Arrick, James Coco, David Doyle, Trent Gough, Graham Jarvis
Studio: Paramount
Buy New: $69.70
New (3) Used (7) Collectible (4) from $30.00
Rating:  62 reviews
Sales Rank: 1662
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Hifi Sound, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: G (General Audience)
Media: VHS Tape
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 102
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 6300216217
UPC: 097360800739
EAN: 9786300216211
ASIN: 6300216217
Theatrical Release Date: 1971
Release Date: January 1, 1998
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW AND SEALED---IN STOCK---SHIPS FROM OKLAHOMA---FREE UPGRADE TO PRIORITY MAIL
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Elaine May wrote, directed, and starred in this acidic comedy about a wealthy playboy (Walter Matthau) who discovers that he has nearly spent all of his fortune. Casting about for a solution to his money problems that won't actually involve work, he finds a desperate solution: He'll marry an heiress (May) for her fortune. The hitch: She's a social maladept ("The woman is feral," Matthau growls). Indeed, Matthau finds marriage so intolerable that he decides there's only one course of action, which is to actively pursue making himself a widower by bumping her off. An offbeat, funny, and dry film, with a wonderfully misanthropic performance by Matthau and a sharply drawn one by May. --Marshall Fine
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| Customer Reviews: Read 57 more reviews...
How Can This Be? July 23, 2008
How can it be that Walter Matthau's best performance, especially a comedy performance, is not available on DVD? It's a shame, because this is arguably the most brilliant dark comedy from that wonderful golden age of grown-up films from the mid 60s to the mid 70s. This movie is way too funny and brilliant to be this undercover and cult. Elaine May is to comedy what Coppola and Scorsese were to drama. Her writing is as good as comedy writing gets, and her performance gives a glimpse at how wonderful a comic actress she really is. No B.S. either. This one of the great comedies. Can't believe it's not on dvd. Not to be missed. I remember seeing this on tv when I was a little girl and thinking, that is a wonderful world those two people live in. It played the midnight show in college and the crowd loved it so much, it played the following week to huge crowds. I rented it ten years ago on VHS, and roared with laughter. It gets better with every viewing. And now, you can't ever see it because it never shows on tv and it's not on dvd. Help!!
An absolute gem of a movie! July 15, 2008
14 out of 16 found this review helpful
Let's play Name Your Favorite Comedy. "Good Morning, Vietnam," "As Good as It Gets,"and "Little Miss Sunshine." Yes, yes, all good. Now consider "A New Leaf." Thought so. You've never heard of it. And that's a shame because this is my favorite comedy and that of other reviewers on this page. Why?
Walter Matthau, a superb actor in any movie, stars with Elaine May, little known as an actress. She wrote the screenplay and directed the movie. There was much controversy behind the scenes, making it run millions over budget. Matthau and May did not get along. But the movie was made and distributed with little publicity.
Why is the film so lauded by those who have seen it? Because it is so funny and matches the two most unlikely pair of characters this side of the moon for marriage. Back to the beginning.
Henry Graham was born rich, lives rich, and awakens one day to discover his inheritance is gone. Having never worked, he is contemptuous of the idea. The only plan is to find a rich women, knock her off on the honeymoon, and inherit once again and become the rich playboy that is his natural right. Oh, add cynicism, world-weariness, rapier wit, and a great dislike of women on general grounds and Henry becomes a problem to himself in acquiring a bride.
One of the funniest scenes in the movie that reveals his utter disregard for women occurs when he is with a woman well-endowed, not only financially but physically. She tells him how much she wants him and begins to undo the top to her swimsuit. He hollers: "Don't let them out, Phyllis, don't let them out!"
There is a bet involving money and his uncle with Henry having so many days to find a woman to marry him. He finds Henrietta , who is as klutzy and naive as he is sophisticated and cynical. He and his manservant continuously remove bread crumbs and new dress labels from her person, before she is presentable for going to teach botany at the local college. Henry must also deal with her bloated, unnecessary, useless, freeloading house staff.
Through her goofy style Henrietta convinces Henry to accompany her on her annual trip to find an unnamed fern to name after her and live in posterity. The second funniest moment comes when Henrietta cannot get her arms and head in the right places in her Venetian nightgown on the honeymoon. I fell on the floor laughing at this scene.
Suffice it to say, Henry does not kill Henrietta. In fact, the ending is just a beautiful thing--very low-keyed, seeming very ordinary but quite momentous--just like this fabulous film! Highly recommended!
A Classic May 20, 2008
Everyone should see this wonderful, delightful film. It is hands down the funniest film I have ever seen. The dialogue is sharp, the actors are superb both central charters and supporting characters. My only regret is that it is an old film and not at the moment available on DVD format. It should be. A true classic in every sense. The story is about a man of wealth and refinement who looks down his nose on almost everyone, his wealth ends through his own mismanagement, and all that he holds dear is within a hair's breath of being taken away from him and an apalling life of being "poor" is staring him in the face. He resolves, much to his chagrin, he must marry a wealthy woman, preferably without any close relatives, so he may "opportunely" dispose of her, gain her wealth and continue to live in the manner to which he has been accustomed all his life. The "opportune" woman presents herself in the form of Henrietta, portrayed to perfection by Elaine May. Walter Matthau's character, Henry, moves forward with his plan for personal gain, at any cost, but in the end, he is redeemed. His redemption is discovering, to his astonishment, he loves (that unfamiliar emotion he has lived without all his life)Henrietta. He finds that moment of revelation at the very nanosecond of wish fulfillment, when he is at the perfect place and time to discreetly "dispose" of Henrietta and make it look like an accident. He is about to take the fatal step of walking away while Henrietta is about to meet her demise, when reaching into his pocket, he finds his tiny bit of immortality Henrietta has bestowed upon him, missing. The new leaf Henrietta the botanist has named for him. At that moment Henrietta saves Henry from himself and against all odds, Henry becomes a caring and compassionate human being. The whole film is a true comedic treasure I enjoyed from beginning to end. Please take the time to find it in your local video store or sometimes on cable. The funniest and most touching movie I have ever seen.
Helloooo Paramount, anybody there??? March 27, 2008
I don't understand why Paramount Pictures doesn't release this movie on DVD. It's one of Walter Matthau's very best, and was nominated for two Golden Globe awards when it came out. When you think about some of the expensive, terrible new movies that go straight to DVD, and here you have a proven classic that can't get transferred from VHS to DVD it makes no sense...
 The most human Hollywood film ever? March 7, 2008
Without a doubt, Elaine May is no technical stylist. At first, this plainspoken directing style may feel a bit clunky. But the story does build cumulative force. By the time Matthau's character meets May's, things really take off.
It would be very interesting to see the additional ninety minutes that were cut without her approval. That being said, it feels just the right length as it now exists. It's hard to imagine the missing blackmail footage as being anything else than too much of a good thing. If the content of the movie is being altered, then one should side with the director. However, if the movie is excessively long, then in at least some cases the studio or producer may be in the right.
Outside of the too conventional ending, the movie does feel like it's completely her own. It has an uncommon rigour that avoids for the most part the usual commercial formula. No teary eyed close ups or treacly moralizing here. The suits may have chopped the movie, but the soul remains wholely intact.
It would be no exaggeration to say that this compares favorably with The Front Page, His Girl Friday, All About Eve, or the best from Preston Sturges.
One of the rarest of things, a Hollywood film where the human element trumps the technical side.
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