A New Leaf [VHS]

A New Leaf [VHS]

A New Leaf [VHS]

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Product details

Actor: Elaine May, Jack Weston, James Coco, Jess Osuna, Walter Mathau
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Original Language), Analog
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
Running Time: 102 minutes
Release Date: 1998-01-01
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Publisher: Paramount
Studio: Paramount

VHS Movie Reviews of A New Leaf [VHS]

Movie Review: At times funny, but nothing approaching classic
Summary: 3 Stars

Excited to see this movie lauded with praise and presenting the Matthau-Mays pairing, I was dissapointed in the delivery. Although at times humorous and sophisticated, the movie labors frequently and convoluted wordplay is often
much ado about nothing. There's no real chemistry between Walter and Elaine,
and the characters aren't defined or beleivable. The whole farce about the staff on the take was very flat as well. Aside from several on cue moments from Walter, this movie is largely dissapointing, and lacks the zip of the similarly
veined "How to murder your wife" with Jack Lemmon.

Movie Review: "And this is Mr. and Mrs. Daryl Hitler..."
Summary: 5 Stars

There's not much more I can add here that other reviewers haven't already and quite well, but I feel moved to write anyway. I just tried adding the DVD for this side-splittingly funny black comedy to my Netflix queue only to discover that it is not available. Really? I thought. How weird... oh, well. There's always Amazon--I'll just buy it outright...

Except it's not available (at least not in DVD format) from Amazon, either. It doesn't appear to be available in DVD ANYWHERE, thanks to-- well, I'm not sure what, really. Does anyone know? Is this some stupid oversight on Paramount's part, or has there been some behind the scenes wrangling going on between Paramount and writer-director Elaine May regarding royalties or distribution? I'm as perplexed as everyone else here--why isn't this classic film, one of the great (and very much missed) Walter Matthau's very best, available by now on DVD? This is a travesty!

Many who have reviewed here has mentioned their favorite comedic moments in this nearly flawless movie. I will add one or two of my own (apologies if I'm repeating): that lunatic throwaway line in my review title, where Henry and Henrietta, attending their first dinner party together, are smoothly introduced to various other couples, including the aforementioned Hitlers (Elaine May, her wickedly funny wit sharpened by her legendary improv partnership with actor-writer-director Mike Nichols, is really on her game with this, her first screenplay); the moment earlier on the film where it finally registers with Henry that he is, or is about to be, poor, and he wanders about in a weepy, funereal daze of self-pity, whispering his goodbyes to all his favorite upperclass haunts; and also the falling-down-on-the-floor-funny wedding sequence, especially the scene where Henrietta's sleazy attorney (played by the fabulous Jack Weston, also much missed), having failed in all previous attempts to prevent the marriage and reveal Henry as the charlatan they both know he is, is reduced to whispering increasingly desperate pleas to the befuddled bride as they stagger up the aisle ("Henrietta! Please! I'll kill myself if you do this insane thing--!!") and can then be heard breaking into despairing sobs as Henry and Henrietta calmly exchange their vows.

Amazingly funny stuff--if you've made it this far and never seen "A New Leaf" you're in for a treat, assuming you can find it, I mean. Its release to DVD (with special features, pretty please!) would be a terrific Christmas stocking stuffer--hint, hint, Paramount!!

PS: Though reportedly Miss May and Mr. Matthau did not get on well during the filming of "A New Leaf" they must have patched things up nicely at some point, for they reteamed for the 1978 Neil Simon comedy "California Suite" in which they play a long-married couple staying at a ritzy California hotel. Timid hubby Matthau, having had a one-night stand with a pretty young hooker, goes to absurd lengths to keep acerbic wife May from discovering the indiscretion, not to mention the heavily sleeping form of the young woman. (Spoiler alert: He fails. Hilariously.)

Movie Review: One of my top five favorite films of all time
Summary: 5 Stars

It is a crying shame that this is not available on DVD. The film is a classic, and one of Matthau's best performances, not to mention the brilliance of Elaine May. I can't even put into words how funny this movie is, and why you should check it out! If you like comedy, this is a brilliant movie to see, worth every penny.

Movie Review: Very, very funny
Summary: 5 Stars

One of the funniest films ever as well as being heart-warming. A difficult combination but Elaine May is a genius (she wrote the screenplay I think). Matthau is his usual droll curmudgeon-y self and makes all the silly seem real as well as hilarious. Great fun!

Movie Review: How Can This Be?
Summary: 5 Stars

How can it be that Walter Matthau's best performance, especially a comedy performance, is not available on DVD? It's a shame, because this is arguably the most brilliant dark comedy from that wonderful golden age of grown-up films from the mid 60s to the mid 70s. This movie is way too funny and brilliant to be this undercover and cult. Elaine May is to comedy what Coppola and Scorsese were to drama. Her writing is as good as comedy writing gets, and her performance gives a glimpse at how wonderful a comic actress she really is. No B.S. either. This one of the great comedies. Can't believe it's not on dvd. Not to be missed. I remember seeing this on tv when I was a little girl and thinking, that is a wonderful world those two people live in. It played the midnight show in college and the crowd loved it so much, it played the following week to huge crowds. I rented it ten years ago on VHS, and roared with laughter. It gets better with every viewing. And now, you can't ever see it because it never shows on tv and it's not on dvd. Help!!

Write your own review

Summary of A New Leaf [VHS]

Elaine May wrote, directed, and starred in this acidic comedy about a wealthy playboy (Walter Matthau) who discovers that he has nearly spent all of his fortune. Casting about for a solution to his money problems that won't actually involve work, he finds a desperate solution: He'll marry an heiress (May) for her fortune. The hitch: She's a social maladept ("The woman is feral," Matthau growls). Indeed, Matthau finds marriage so intolerable that he decides there's only one course of action, which is to actively pursue making himself a widower by bumping her off. An offbeat, funny, and dry film, with a wonderfully misanthropic performance by Matthau and a sharply drawn one by May. --Marshall Fine

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