Review of A New Leaf (1971) by Filipe C — 06 Aug 2016

Excellent unjustly neglected comedy.

This subtle, low-key comedy should probably be counted among the sort of films they don't make like any more, and more's the pity they don't. Walter Matthau is Henry, an idle rich New Yorker who is so feckless about money that he is bewildered when he runs out of it, even though his lawyer has been warning him for years that he can't keep spending twice the interest from his trust fund annually. He concludes, with a little help from his worldly wise valet Harold, that the only thing to do is to find a rich, unattached heiress and live off her income. After arranging a tide-me-over loan on ruinous terms (he'll have to pay over everything he has if he doesn't get his rich heiress in six weeks) from his evil uncle Harry (James Coco hilarious in a minor role,) he begins his hunt for a bride The idea of getting married is not at all attractive to him, but he figures that, after all, there are ways of getting rid of a wife while keeping her money, so he sets about looking for a suitable woman to "murd- -- uh, I mean, marry.".

Enter Henrietta (Elaine May,) a supremely wealthy, supremely nerdy botanist. Henry effects a whirlwind courtship and marries her, and after setting to rights her larcenous manorial staff, accompanies his new wife on a botanical field trip to the mountains, where an ideal means of disposing of her presents itself totally unpredictably. But Henry's reaction to the situation is also unpredictable, and there is a predictably happy ending to the whole situation.

This film has its own interesting back story. For one thing, it is reputedly the first major American feature film which a woman film maker wrote and directed and starred in. Elaine May was reportedly dissatisfied with the end product, since the studio re-edited the film in a way that made it much simpler and much less dark than she had intended; apparently the director's cut has never been issued. But still the film in its present form will be well worth watching for anyone who feels the phrase "old fashioned comedy" is a recommendation. It won't appeal as much to viewers who buy into the present ethos that a comedy without gross humor, explicit sex, car chases and explosions must be boring.

I saw this on the Olive Films 2012 standard DVD, which is of adequate quality. Apparently there is also a Blu-Ray, which I haven't seen.