Elaine May would be a legend if she had ONLY been half of (Mike) Nichols & May. Instead, she decided to have a film career in an era (the 1960s) when women weren't really allowed to do much more than act. Here's a rundown of her career as a film-MAKER, not just an actress...
-A New Leaf (1967): writer, director, actor... referred to as a "cult classic," May's original version ran almost three hours before Robert Evans took it away and re-cut it to 102 minutes. No one knows if the original still exists, although at one point May apparently hid the negative under her bed, starting a lifelong battle with film studios (Paramount, in this case).
-Such Good Friends (1971): writer... based on the novel by Lois Gould. I've seen May's script (written under a pseudonym, and directed by Otto Preminger) described as "hurtful."
-The Heartbreak Kid (1972): director... May's masterpiece. There's nothing I can say that isn't said better in Roger Ebert's review. This has largely been overshadowed by the 2007 remake with Ben Stiller, which turns the tables and makes the new bride dis-likable, thereby excusing Stiller's character's actions. That's a terrible idea, and a complete bastardization of the original Neil Simon/Bruce Jay Friedman story. The original stars Charles Grodin, Jeannie Berlin (May's daughter, who was rightfully nominated for an Oscar), Eddie Albert (also nominated), Audra Lindley and Cybill Shepherd.
-Mikey and Nicky (1976): writer, director... Peter Falk and John Cassavetes as uneasy friends? Sign me up! Cassavetes was Falk's mentor, and the improv'd scenes between the two are one reason May would let the cameras roll for hours, capturing everything. This one also had studio trouble and never got the release it deserved. It's tough to find today, unless you want to click below.
-Heaven Can Wait (1978), Reds (1981), Tootsie (1982), Labyrinth (1986): May contributed to the scripts of these films (the last three uncredited), and they all seemed to come out pretty good.
-Ishtar (1987): writer, director... what a misunderstood semi-masterpiece. The first 40 minutes are incredible, following Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman as down-and-out (and terrible) songwriters. Then the film tries to marry the Hope/Crosby "Road" pictures with some 1980s government intrigue, and everything falls apart. There are still great lines and moments in the rest of the film, but not enough. May's battles with the studio are well-documented elsewhere (and may not entirely have been her fault), but they were enough to give "Ishtar" a bad reputation to this day, making it sadly synonymous with "flop." Honestly, taken as it is, I enjoyed it as much if not more than any comedy released in 1987 except Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Spaceballs. (Frankly, I can't find too many movies of any genre I enjoyed more that year, especially if you watch just the first 40 minutes). Sadly, this is the last film Elaine May has directed to date (not counting a 2016 PBS "American Masters" documentary on Mike Nichols). Here's a classic scene with Charles Grodin:
-May's only other work behind the camera since "Ishtar" has been credited contributions to the scripts for "Dangerous Minds," "The Birdcage," and "Primary Colors."
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