A New Leaf U

Henry Graham (Walter Matthau) is a Manhattan trust-fund princeling who finds himself bankrupt. Since it is inconceivable that he might sell off any of his property or possessions, he takes the advice of his loyal butler – marry rich, quick! With a 6 week loan from his uncle to tide him over, Henry must marry and murder a suitable woman. At a high-society tea party he meets her; Henrietta Lowell (Elaine May), a socially awkward botanist, is rich, naive and single. As she passionately pursues botany, he pursues her and his newfound interest in toxicology… A pitch-perfect, dark screwball comedy, and May’s debut feature, A New Leaf was the first studio film directed by a woman since Ida Lupino (The Trouble with Angels in 1966).

Screening as part of our May in December season.

Elaine May’s trailblazing career as a director, screenwriter and stand-up remains criminally undervalued. She made up one half of Nichols and May, the wildly successful comedy duo she formed with Mike Nichols. May left at the height of their success. Bringing her comedic sensibilities to the screen, May became the third woman ever to be admitted to the Directors Guild of America.

She is known for her acerbic writing, dark screwball comedies and for a body of work that skewers masculinity, wealth, and narcissism. To mark 50 years since the release of her gritty noir Mikey and Nicky, we present three of Elaine May's films on the big screen across three mondays in December.