“Love with the Proper Stranger” (Robert Mulligan, 1963) at 11:45 a.m. on Showtime. One of the best of the salty tough New York romances, with Steve McQueen as a devil-may-care trumpet player and Natalie Wood as the summer hotel date he has impregnated. Written with lots of attitude by Arnold Schulman, it was an unusually frank film for its time. It has survived as an acid-tongued New York valentine and ’60s actors’ showcase — for the stars plus Edie Adams, Herschel Bernardi, Harvey Lembeck and others.
“A New Leaf,” (Elaine May, 1971) at 1:35 a.m. on AMC. Director/writer/co-star Elaine May’s very dark and disarming little screwball comedy is about the daffy, seemingly doomed marriage of a bankrupt, ex-rich wastrel playboy (Walter Matthau) and his klutzy rich bride (May), a born victim whom he plans to murder as soon as possible. In some ways, this is Preston Sturges’ “The Lady Eve” reversed (with Matthau as gold digger Barbara Stanwyck and May as rich boob Henry Fonda), gussied up with new psychological and social spins. Wonderfully acted by the two co-stars, who play together like comic machines — or virtuosos — and by a top supporting cast: Jack Weston, George Rose, James Coco and Renee Taylor.
