Illeana Douglas on A NEW LEAF

Walter Matthau plays a broke playboy and Elaine May the rich (and single) heiress who might be the key to his money problems. Director/writer May based this mildly black comedy on a short story by Jack Ritchie and peopled it with some of the funniest people on Broadway including Jack Weston and James Coco. The film’s murderous overtones, reminiscent of Chaplin’s Monsieur Verdoux, may have killed it at the box office - this useless trailer, easily the worst we’ve ever featured on Trailers from Hell, certainly didn’t help- but the critics loved it.
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[@ingvarhallstrom2306]

Somehow it warms my heart immensly that Illeana Douglas of all people are carrying a torch for this film. Love Illeana Douglas and love Elaine May!

[@bradhogue2029]

What frond is in your token, Henry? Why, my own frond.

[@ericchisolm2768]

Yes, yes, & yes, this film is an ABSOLUTE MASTER PIECE !!!

[@jlastre]

Elaine May was a fucking genius. Too bad Hollywood crushes geniuses.

[@localcrew]

This is a very funny and underrated film. And rather touching too.

[@sara1364]

This is one of my faves! Elaine May is so adorable. Her goofiness is infectious.

[@konowd]

One of my favorite jokes about Elaine May is one of her marriages was so short she got custody of the cake

[@IrishAnnie]

One of the funniest movies ever.. perfectly cast and hilarious!

[@missymissymiss5192]

Love this movie. I remember watching it as a kid.

[@bluedov69]

Absolutely hillarious the bulter the staff who hires was taking advantage of her

[@chipchapin5092]

Delightful performance by Doris Roberts as the embezzling household manager, long before Seinfeld.😆

[@00bikeboy]

The performances by Matthau and May are just perfection, as are those of the supporting cast. One of my all time favourite movies.

[@Bohonk212]

One of the few who actually saw this in a theater when it was out. Old Times Square...waiting for my father to get out of work in the Pan Am building. Wonderful surprise as I'd never heard anything about it. The Ritz was another hidden classic I discovered that same way. I try to watch them at least once a year now.

[@FreeArtFreestheWorld]

There were some other female directors during that time like Doris Wishman and Roberta Findlay. Masters of their craft.

[@josephdennis8473]

Illeana Douglas, you are *my favorite*. I can rarely get through your reviews without seriously cracking up.

[@snoozer987]

I love this movie! Elaine May's character is so unappealing at first, and Walter Matthau's is so selfish and mean. But then they both turn out, to be good for each other. I see elements of these characters, in Amy and Sheldon, on The Big Bang Theory.

[@sammygirl6910]

I love her so much!

[@konowd]

I enjoy Douglas’s reviews a lot, she knows her stuff, and love Elaine May, she’s totally nuts, but a brilliant, witty woman

[@mortalclown3812]

Really wish we could see the whole version - and Illeana, if you see this, I'm such a fan of your work. Peace EDIT: WooHOOO found it. Perfection. Rest in peace, you fine players.

[@Isabella-nh5dm]

I love Elaine May's work. A New Leaf was a film I found in my early 20's. It was the best film I had come across in a long time and continues to be a favourite of mine.

[@jb-vb8un]

I did not realize she was the girl in comedy skits with Mike Nichols - - fantastic stuff

[@AnthonySmith-ty7ij]

I think this is really Elaine May's masterpiece. She worked with Mike Nichols well before he went on to a great directing career. To this day, this film seems to be overshadowed by her direction of 1987's expensive but entertaining film Ishtar.

[@JeremySockman]

A real hidden gem nowadays!

[@jhhone]

I want to see this! Ms. Douglas is correct in that the trailer is lousy!

[@LastBankJob]

I love Illeana, and I love Trailers From Hell, but not this goofy camera work. Please don't make this a regular feature.

[@yentavegan8823]

ah...the subtext is what makes this particular film hilarious...The offspring of Ashkenasi immigrants from oppressed shtetls satirizing the American upper class...

[@youturd55]

Didn't know her grandfather was Melvyn Douglas wow

[@paulhicks3595]

Why oh why the infuriating, stupid, meaningless B cam shots of the set-up? They’re so bloody distracting and have nothing to do with the function of giving context and commentary for the trailers.

[@Oppeldeldoc1]

It's nice to hear someone list the little trademarks, like the Mogen-David wine coolers and the carbon on the valves. There's also the crown gold on the roses (in that great scene between Matthau and Graham Jarvis).

[@rosezingleman5007]

Oppeldeldoc1 “Are you related to the Boston Hitlers?”

[@bluedov69]

Didnt jack weston her lawyer?

[@bluedov69]

Wasnt jack weston her lawyer? Didnt know she made the heartbreak kid? You should play Henretta lowell if there is a remake

[@simonfrederiksen104]

insanely underrated

[@Scipio488]

This is also one of my favorite films (I am still stealing myself to some day drink a Malaga Cooler). The ONLY possible reason for the trailer being so inapt is that, since pretty much every scene is a quotable set piece, showing ANY of it would "spoil" the film too much. That's all I've got...

[@NicholasVargo]

Totally spot on about that trailer, Illeana. Absolutely terrible, and why Paramount would advertise it this way is beyond me. Having said that, there is another trailer on KZbin that does show footage from the movie and it is much better. Still, I love this movie too. It’s just a well-made comedy with a lot of laughs.

[@tammyr1489]

Excellent film. Not for everyone. Blink and you miss the jokes. Very dry. Very seventies. Love it.

[@oo88oo]

I loved that movie. Seen it 3 times.

[@davidkelly7272]

May's dipsy performance is classic.Love this film; with Matthau in top form what more could you ask for....possibly the 'butlers' performance?

[@caramcgee3801]

Great movie! Just watched after listening to your review. 👏👏👏 Thanks!

[@francescaderimini2931]

Yes! Before there were wine coolers there was Mogan David and ginger ale over the rocks! The Mogan David bringing all its connotations with it makes Henry gasp for breath!

[@darrenhoskins8382]

Jack Weston ❤️❤️❤️. Thought I was the only one who knew this film?!?

[@troynov1965]

One of the best unknown movies I have ever saw. I saw it years ago on some late night movie and just LOVED it.

[@diddymuck]

shocked to hear matthau and Elaine were at odds. They played a couple a second time in California Suite about 5 years later, so one assumes they made amends.

[@ryoungatlmidotnet]

The sound really bites as well. Ileana is wonderful.

[@arlenebourne8178]

I would like to see the 3 hour version that was cut.

[@daxxonjabiru428]

People like me also liked it.

[@rodneycross2473]

Elaine May is my girlfriend 🙂

[@tilik13]

I want to go back to the 70s

[@Horror-Man]

Even better than this film are Elaine May's The Heartbreak Kid (1972) and Mikey and Nicky (1976).

[@koomo801]

"No! Don't let them out!" I know it's very bad of me, but nearly 40 years after seeing A New Leaf at the drive-in with my dad (miss you, dad!), that quote goes through my mind when I'm at a public pool with my kids and I see....well, you know what I mean. Unfortunately, I rarely think "Let them out".

[@raystaar]

Illeana Douglas, you'll be relieved to know that several torrents of 'A New Leaf' are available online. Thank god not all decisions about what's worthwhile and what is not are left to studio executives.

[@cjwallace4559]

Saw it today, absolutely wonderful....humor is amazingly delightful...hope more good writing and good directors...in Jesus Name...

[@only257]

never heard of this film

[@philmfan]

What's with the cut-aways to the shakey cam? A compromise to current stylistic tricks to hold the attention of younger viewers? Illeana just talking about movies is enough. I just showed A New Leaf to my wife recently. We're in that last category Illeana mentioned - a dysfunctional couple with a fondness for Walter Matthau (and Elaine May!).

[@trickydick6152]

No problem watching this movie in my country, dubbed of course. In facts I must have watched it 5-6 times, especially in the 80's. The only gripe I have is with May: she doesn't know how to play her part, which is not that of an idiot (in facts, she teaches at college). She is too over the top, Jerry Lewish style, while she should have delivered a more subdued performance. Or, even better, given the part to a better actress.