Henry is a trust fund baby whose trust fund has run out. The only way to avoid going down the dark dark path of "getting a job" is marry a wealthy woman. Due to a bargain made with his gleefully disdainful uncle and with his only ally being his loyal manservant, Harold, he has a very short time to do it. Enter Henrietta: an independently wealthy botanist whose social ineptitude and unkempt spaciness are unparalleled (privately Henry refers to her as "feral"). She is instantly enamored of Henry and it would seem to be the perfect ending. There are two main problems: first, Henrietta has a number of parasitic employees working for her who don't want to give up their "cash cow" and, second, Henry can't stand his new rich wife. So the stage is set for this delightfully dark comedy. Matthau creates an uniquely comic character in Henry: snobbish, greedy, selfish and completely amoral. Clumsy, naive, and distracted Henrietta would seem to be no match for him. Ultimately, the film is both funny and touching as we watch Henrietta triumph over Henry by just being a kind-hearted person. I've read that May was not happy with this film and wanted a blacker comedy but I think the move is perfect just the way it is.
Review of A New Leaf
