--- title: "A New Leaf" year: 1971 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/a-new-leaf" fi1m_id: "a-new-leaf" imdb_id: "tt0067482" tmdb_id: 36850 wikidata_id: "Q223278" fi1m_score: 83 critics_score: 81 critics_reviews: 9 published: "2026-10-03T08:16:00.034429+00:00" updated: "2026-10-03T08:16:12.805093+00:00" region: "RO" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # A New Leaf (1971) Directed by Elaine May · 1h 42m · Comedy, Romance ## Identity A New Leaf - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/a-new-leaf - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** a-new-leaf - **IMDb ID:** tt0067482 - **TMDB ID:** 36850 - **Wikidata ID:** Q223278 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067482/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/36850, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q223278 **Fi1m score: 83** · Critics 81 from 9 reviews *In a sentence:* Walter Matthau treats the prospect of affection as an unreasonable demand on his afternoon > Elaine May and Walter Matthau make an unlikely romantic pairing funny and unexpectedly affecting. The pacing is slack in places, but the attention given to Henrietta keeps the comedy from becoming a prolonged exercise in cruelty. ## Synopsis Henry Graham (Walter Matthau) brings a cold reserve to his dealings with Henrietta Lowell (Elaine May), a guileless heiress whose awkwardness makes her an unlikely match for him. He has little interest in anybody else’s feelings; she is far less practised at protecting her own. Among the people around them are Harold (George Rose), Uncle Harry (James Coco) and Andy McPherson (Jack Weston). As Henry and Henrietta become involved, her trust exposes her to a man whose self-interest gives her plenty of reason to be cautious. ## Review *A New Leaf* is a funny, unexpectedly tender comedy with a pace that sometimes needs a firm word. Elaine May writes and directs, and plays Henrietta Lowell opposite Walter Matthau’s Henry Graham. The difficult job is to make a cold, self-serving man worth spending time with while giving the woman opposite him something more than the duty of improving him. She largely manages it, without making Henry’s company any more comfortable than it should be. Walter Matthau makes Henry’s self-regard funny by giving it so little visible strain. There is no pleading for affection in the performance, and no need to underline each piece of unpleasantness. His reserve suggests someone who considers his own convenience an adequate explanation for everything, and finds further discussion faintly improper. We can enjoy the precision of the acting without needing to find the man charming. Elaine May has the harder task, because Henrietta’s awkwardness could easily reduce her to a collection of comic mannerisms. She gives those mannerisms a sense of the person experiencing them, including the sweetness that makes her vulnerable to Henry. We laughed at the contrast between his composure and her guilelessness, then felt protective of her. That feeling comes from the difference between the performances: he appears thoroughly defended, while she has scarcely thought to defend herself. The writing keeps finding humour in that uncomfortable difference. The dialogue is sharp enough to make Henry’s cynicism entertaining, although the performance opposite him supplies the stronger reason to care what happens between them. Romantic comedy often gives its awkward partner the thankless job of teaching the colder one how to behave. Henrietta holds our attention in her own right, and we would resent any suggestion that fixing Henry was her sole purpose. Gayne Rescher’s cinematography and the production design by Warren Clymer and Richard Fried are less distinctive pleasures. We remember the people more clearly than their surroundings, which seems fair enough for a comedy so dependent on the amount of sympathy each performer permits. Neal Hefti provides the music, though the actors’ contrasting delivery supplies the rhythm we notice most. Our attention keeps returning to the performances. The editing, credited to Don Guidice, Fredric Steinkamp and Edward Beyer, leaves a more substantial reservation. Some stretches linger after their comic point has registered, and the looseness can make the film feel longer than its 102 minutes. The performances often benefit from being allowed room, but that does not mean every pause deserves equal patience. We wanted a little more decisiveness about moving on; a dry comedy loses some of its sting when we have too long to anticipate the next discomfort. That slackness is worth allowing for, especially if brisk plotting is the main pleasure a comedy offers you. The stronger reason to watch is the attention Elaine May gives Henrietta, even when Henry’s appalling attitude is getting the laughs. There is warmth here, earned by taking an awkward person seriously enough to let her be funny without making her negligible. Choose it for the actors, and do not expect them to hurry. *Fi1m score 83, published 3 October 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics greet A New Leaf warmly, with praise centred on Elaine May and Walter Matthau’s contrasting performances. May’s guileless manner and inventive physical comedy draw particular admiration, while Matthau’s cold restraint and deadpan delivery give the humour its bite. The reviews also value the sharp dialogue and the tenderness beneath the black comedy: several find emotional depth in characters whose behaviour could have remained merely a source of laughs. The reservations concern pace and construction rather than the central performances, and the available verdicts range from qualified approval to strong enthusiasm. Time Out finds that the studio’s drastic re-editing leaves rough edges, while Empire admires the character study despite the compromised cut. The Skinny considers the pace lackadaisical but still finds May’s comedy distinctive and fully formed. The differences are chiefly about how much these flaws matter, with no substantial negative case emerging from the accessible reviews. ## Straight answers **Is A New Leaf worth watching?** *A New Leaf* is worth watching for Elaine May and Walter Matthau’s funny, unexpectedly tender pairing, and we score it 83. We recommend it for the contrast between his cold self-interest and her unguarded awkwardness, though the slack pacing may test anyone who wants a romantic comedy to move briskly. **How long is A New Leaf, and what is it rated?** *A New Leaf* runs 1h 42m. It is a comedy and romance film. **Where can I watch A New Leaf in Romania?** *A New Leaf* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from lei 9.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does A New Leaf compare to The Lady Eve?** *A New Leaf* offers a gentler, more awkward romantic pairing than [*The Lady Eve*](https://film.one/film/the-lady-eve), though both find comedy in scheming courtship and inconvenient feelings. We give *The Lady Eve* the edge for a sharp romance with a calculating, vulnerable woman at its centre; *A New Leaf* suits those drawn to Henrietta’s guilelessness, provided they can forgive its slack stretches. **What should I watch after A New Leaf?** After *A New Leaf*, try [*The Lady Eve*](https://film.one/film/the-lady-eve) (1941, Fi1m 90): A scheming courtship, sharp dialogue and feelings that complicate everyone’s carefully arranged plans. Then [*Kind Hearts and Coronets*](https://film.one/film/kind-hearts-and-coronets) (1949, Fi1m 91): Another dry comedy that gives appalling intentions the benefit of impeccable manners; and [*The Heartbreak Kid*](https://film.one/film/the-heartbreak-kid) (1972, Fi1m 78): A harsher treatment of romantic selfishness, keeping the embarrassment and reducing the reassurance. ### Reviews we read (9) - **Slant Magazine**, Keith Uhlich (4/4): Uhlich calls the film one of cinema’s great comedies, praising its emotional depth beneath the laughter. He singles out May’s humane portrayal of Henrietta, which turns her comic mannerisms into a fully realized inner life. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/a-new-leaf/) - **The AV Club**, Nathan Rabin (A-): Rabin praises the film as a big-hearted black comedy and an invigorating story of an irredeemable cad softened by love. He singles out the comic contrast between Walter Matthau’s cold restraint and Elaine May’s guileless sweetness. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/a-new-leaf-1798174135) - **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (90/100, inferred): Brody calls the film one of the best romantic comedies ever made and praises May’s combination of audacious emotional insight and comic invention. He singles out May’s performance and the honeymoon nightgown sequence as especially inventive and moving. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/the-rapturous-romance-and-desperate-tragedy-of-elaine-mays-a-new-leaf) - **Empire**, David Parkinson (80/100, inferred): The review finds the film a wonderful, unexpectedly funny character study despite its compromised studio cut. It especially praises Walter Matthau’s performance and Elaine May’s comic portrayal of the hapless heiress. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/new-leaf-review/) - **Radio Times**, Tom Hutchinson (4/5): The review calls the film a sophisticated, cynical black comedy. It praises its wonderfully mordant edge. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-uud77p/a-new-leaf/) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (75/100, inferred): The review finds the film sophisticated, funny, and mostly adroitly assembled. It praises Walter Matthau’s satirical performance and Elaine May’s sharp, amusing dialogue. [Read](https://variety.com/1970/film/reviews/a-new-leaf-1200422556/) - **Time Out**, PT (70/100, inferred): The review suggests the film remains engaging despite Paramount’s drastic re-editing. It singles out that re-editing as leaving the film a little rough around the edges. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/a-new-leaf) - **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict cannot be verified. No praise or complaint from the review is available to report. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1971/03/12/archives/love-turns-new-leaf-at-music-hall.html) - **The Skinny**, Lewis Porteous (★★★★): Porteous finds May’s screwball comedy distinctive and fully formed, despite its lackadaisical pace. He singles out May’s versatile, inventive performance and Matthau’s deadpan turn as particular pleasures. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/dvd-reviews/a-new-leaf) ## Details - **Director:** Elaine May - **Director:** Elaine May - **Writer:** Elaine May - **Cinematography:** Gayne Rescher - **Editor:** Don Guidice, Fredric Steinkamp, Edward Beyer - **Music:** Neal Hefti - **Production design:** Warren Clymer, Richard Fried - **Costume design:** Anthea Sylbert - **Producer:** Hillard Elkins, Howard W. Koch, Joseph Manduke - **Cast:** Walter Matthau as Henry Graham; Elaine May as Henrietta Lowell; Jack Weston as Andy McPherson; George Rose as Harold; James Coco as Uncle Harry; Doris Roberts as Mrs. Traggert; Renée Taylor as Sharon Hart; William Redfield as Beckett - **Runtime:** 1h 42m - **First release (the US):** 11 March 1971 - **Genres:** Comedy, Romance - **Also in:** [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 1971) - **Budget:** $4 million - **Box office:** $5 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kpOUqih-iA ## Where to watch in Romania - Amazon Prime Video: rent lei 9.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy lei 24.99, hd *Checked 2026-10-03.* Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BG, CA, CH, CZ, DE, DK, GB, HR, HU, IN, LT, NO, NZ, RO, RS, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *The Lady Eve* (1941), Fi1m 90: A scheming courtship, sharp dialogue and feelings that complicate everyone’s carefully arranged plans. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lady-eve.md) - *Kind Hearts and Coronets* (1949), Fi1m 91: Another dry comedy that gives appalling intentions the benefit of impeccable manners. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/kind-hearts-and-coronets.md) - *The Heartbreak Kid* (1972), Fi1m 78: A harsher treatment of romantic selfishness, keeping the embarrassment and reducing the reassurance. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-heartbreak-kid.md) - *Cousin Cousine* (1975): A gentler romantic comedy, with affection for people who inconvenience polite society. - *The Man Without a Past* (2002): Deadpan humour and an unhurried romance, with kindness allowed to arrive without speeches. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/a-new-leaf