A New Leaf (film)
| A New Leaf | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Elaine May |
| Screenplay by | Elaine May |
| Story by | Jack Ritchie |
| Produced by | Hillard Elkins Howard W. Koch Joseph Manduke |
| Starring | Walter Matthau Elaine May Jack Weston George Rose James Coco |
| Cinematography | Gayne Rescher |
| Edited by | Don Guidice Fredric Steinkamp |
| Music by | Neal Hefti |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.8 million (planned) $4 million (final) |
| Box office | $5 million (US/Canada) (rentals) |
A New Leaf is a 1971 American black comedy film written and directed by Elaine May in her directorial debut, based on the short story "The Green Heart" by Jack Ritchie. It stars May, Walter Matthau, Jack Weston, George Rose and James Coco.
In the film, a patrician New York City playboy has run out of money. He decides to find a wealthy bride, and finds a shy heiress. He takes control of her finances after their wedding, and fires her dishonest staff. He carefully plans to poison her, but even his own best laid plans go awry.
The film was a critical success on its initial release. However, despite several accolades, award nominations, and a run at Radio City Music Hall, A New Leaf fared poorly at the box office. However, it is now considered a cult classic. In 2019, the film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".