A New Leaf is hackneyed comedy about an aging playboy who, having gone through his inheritance, decides to marry a rich innocent. Miss May, who wrote the script, directed, and played the role of the rich innocent, endeavors to enliven such plot clichés with the negative shibboleths currently considered "in", and loads her film down with other liabilities. (p. 232)

As for Miss May's noises, fully exploited by Paramount's flacks, about the final cut of this picture not conforming to her intention: Well, from the interior evidence, this picture couldn't have been cut any other way. Which means Miss May shot it this way. What way? To make as much money as possible. Why her alleged protest? To draw attention to her picture, and to delude the gullible that she is still anti-Establishment—all the way to the bank. (p. 233)

Elaine Rothschild, "Film Reviews: 'A New Leaf'," in...