Martin Scorsese has named Elaine May's 1971 dark comedy A New Leaf as one of his favourite films, calling it a "masterpiece" despite it being one of the more overlooked comedies of the era. The revelation came during a conversation with actor Jonah Hill for Interview Magazine, in which Hill recalled Scorsese recommending the film to him while he was preparing for his role in The Wolf of Wall Street.

A New Leaf was Elaine May's directorial debut, starring Walter Matthau as a man who marries an unsuspecting, wealthy woman, played by May, intending to live off her money before his scheme takes a darker turn. Despite May's comedic pedigree alongside Mike Nichols, the film was not a box-office success on release. Hill told Scorsese it contains "my favourite sequence in a movie, maybe ever," referring to the scene in which Matthau's character bids farewell to his wealth, underlining the lasting influence the little-celebrated film has had on major directors.