A New Leaf

Henry Graham (Walter Matthau, The Bad News Bears), a descendant of a wealthy New York family, has exhausted his inheritance, leaving him near penniless, much to the dismay of his uncle Harry (James Coco, Murder By Death), who refuses his request for a loan. Upon suggestion of his valet driver Harold (George Rose, The Flesh and the Fiends), Henry devises a plot to marry wealthy professor Henrietta Lowell (played by writer/director Elaine May) and murder her, becoming the beneficiary of her fortune. Along the way, Henry faces various obstacles, including unexpectedly falling in love.

The first feature film to be written and directed by noted playwright and comedian Elaine May (Mikey and Nicky, Ishtar), A NEW LEAF is a calling card of the highest order. Showcasing May as a triple threat, behind and in front of the camera, and offering a canvas for her rapid fire, often acerbic, humor that would define her work. Nominated for two Golden Globe Awards in 1972 – Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) and Best Actress for Elaine May – and adopted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2019, A NEW LEAF is one of the great American comedy films of the 1970s and is often cited as the crowning achievement of May’s illustrious, albeit often controversial, career. Cinématographe is proud to present the world 4K UHD debut of Elaine May’s romantic comedy masterpiece, in a new restoration from the original 35mm camera negative.