A New Leaf 4K 1971 Ultra HD 2160p

Story Movie

Having squandered his entire fortune on pleasure, playboy Henry Graham was anxious to find a new source of income. Of all the paths to wealth, he chose the shortest: a lucrative marriage. Marry, and then get rid of his wife, sending her to the afterlife - that was his plan. But ironically, it turned out that a woman scientist, to whom he prepared the role of the victim, working on the problem of immortality ...

Review 4K Movie

Elaine May's debut film is based on one of American writer Jack Ritchie's short stories, entitled ‘Sweetheart, Don't Kill Indiscriminately!’. Jack Ritchie wrote only one novel in his lifetime, but he wrote many crime stories, often with a considerable dose of irony (unfortunately, less than half of them have been translated into Russian). Elaine May made some changes to the script, removing one of the plot lines (involving a blackmailing father) and cutting out the most violent scenes, turning the film into a romantic comedy rather than a cynical tale about a greedy, bankrupt millionaire and his cold-blooded intentions.

A definite advantage here is the light, unpretentious humor, and the action itself is presented in a very touching manner: the actors play their roles so amusingly that one cannot help but marvel at their talent for bringing an involuntary smile to the viewer's face. I would like to highlight the main duo. Walter Matthau looks very unusual in his role, while retaining the typical traits of a ruined rich man. His character seems to be doing one thing while thinking something completely different, which adds a certain “spice” to the image. And the wonderful Elaine May deserves all the praise for her great work as a screenwriter, director, and lead actress. Her character, in turn, is a person “not of this world”: a fanatical botanist, yet at the same time a terribly clumsy and naive woman. To be able to play such a role in a lively, funny way, without seeming too strange or caricatured, is a remarkable achievement.

I liked this film, although at times it seemed a little drawn out. It has both the charm of a good melodrama and the irony of a good comedy. All the components work together seamlessly, like parts of a single mechanism. “New Leaf” is perfect as an evening film for viewers who want to relax—both for its own sake and as a break from contemporary films that tend to be rather jarring.