A New Leaf is a 1971
black comedy film based on the short story
The Green Heart by
Jack Ritchie, starring
Elaine May,
Walter Matthau,
Jack Weston,
George Rose,
James Coco, and
Doris Roberts. Better known for her collaboration as a stage comedienne with
The Graduate director
Mike Nichols, May also wrote and directed (in her debut). For this film May consulted Dr. Dominick Basile, a botany professor at Columbia University. Dr. Basile wrote botanically accurate lines into the script and supplied the botanical equipment seen in the film. May also modeled Henrietta's office after his.