It Ain’t Hay (1943)

• Year: 1943
• Released: 19 Mar 1943
• Country: United States
• Adwords: 1 nomination
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036047/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/it_aint_hay
• Metacritics:
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: Approved
• Genre: Comedy
• Runtime: 80 min
• Writer: Damon Runyon, Allen Boretz, John Grant
• Director: Erle C. Kenton
• Cast: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Grace McDonald
• Keywords: gangster, racehorse, grifter,

	6.6/10
	40% – Critics
	40% – Audience

It Ain’t Hay Storyline

King O’Hara (Cecil Kellaway) uses his horse-drawn, handsome Hansom Cab to drive the guys and dolls of Broadway around and about Central Park, and all is well and good until O’Hara’s ailing horse comes up more than a little bit ill and, in fact, ups and dies after King’s friend, taxicab driver Wilbur Hoolihan (Lou Costello), inadvertently but effectively by administering candy to the ailing animal. Some of the guys and dolls are more than somewhat upset, especially those citizens, who carry rods and get a lot of pointed questions from police officers, and who aren’t among those most admired as upright citizens. So, Wilbur sets out to acquire a new horse to pull King’s Hansom Cab through Central Park. Wilbur rescues a lost horse and gives it to KIng. But the new horse , unknown to all, is a famous race-hose named Tea Biscuit, and it is soon noticed that the horse has a lot more spirit and giddy-up than the horse he replaced. And it is not long before Tea Biscuit is entered in a famous horse-race in Saratoga – and complications arise.—Les Adams

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It Ain’t Hay Movie Reviews

A Pair Of Teabiscuits

Universal kept Abbott&Costello very busy during the World War II years. They made so many films one wonders when they had time to do personal tours and war bond rallies. One of the more unusual items the team made was It Ain’t Hay which was taken from one of Damon Runyon’s Broadway stories. You’ll recognize some of the character names from Guys And Dolls.

Lou Costello accidentally kills Cecil Kellaway’s horse. Kellaway drives a horse drawn cart in Central Park and Lou’s guilt, plus the guilt laid on him by everyone else including Bud in a great scene, makes him buy a horse that some racing stable was selling.

Problems arise when Bud and Lou discover they have the wrong horse, the horse they were to buy was a dead ringer for the champion ‘Teabiscuit’. The boys pick up the real Teabiscuit, but when they discover the mistake are determined to cash in on it.

The movie is plainly ripped off from the Marx Brothers A Day At The Races, but that doesn’t prevent it from being funny. One definite weakness was that the musical score in the Marx film was a lot better than what Harry Revel and Paul Francis Webster wrote for It Ain’t Hay. Still Leighton Noble and Grace McDonald handle the music end nicely and it doesn’t get in the way of A&C’s routines. And Eugene Palette as the villain gets a few laughs himself as he always does.

It Ain’t Hay is not often shown and that’s a pity. Catch it if possible and hope it comes out on both VHS and DVD.

Good Abbott and Costello

In this film, I think Costello wanted to add a bit more depth to his character. He is a taxi driver and Abbott is is pal. Costello inadvertently kills a horse and takes it upon himself to replace it. as Mr Warner, the bad tempered manager who keeps popping up in the film. The songs have been blasted but I rather like them.

There is real character to this film and a good atmosphere. There are many funny gags here and Eugene pallette is hilarious

I would of liked Erle C. Kenton to of directed more than just 3 Abbott and Costello movies. he directed some of ‘Hit the Ice’ too till he fell out with Lou and was replaced with Charles Lamont who said it would only be a one off!!! This is a very pleasing film for Abbott and Costello fans and the kids would love it too. They don’t make em like this anymore!

It Ain’t Hay (1943) ***

Abbott and Costello are at their very best in this agreeable comedy. They play a couple of Manhattan taxi drivers with a fondness for a sweet young girl and her horse. Costello means well in trying to be nice to the animal, but his feeding it candy ultimately causes the horse to get sick – and die. So he and Abbott set out to make things right by getting a new horse for the girl, whose dad (Cecil Kellaway) runs a horse and carriage ride in the city. I know that synopsis sounds rather dramatic, but there is a lot of well-staged comedy between the serious moments. And Bud and Lou are as sharp in ever performing them. Some routines include: their classic “the horse eats his fodder”, the boys getting swindled at a phony horse race outfit, Lou getting into trouble at a restaurant for not being able to pay his check, and other assorted gags. Third Stooge Shemp Howard also has a part, but the real fun comes courtesy of fat man Eugene Palette, who is the perfect foil for Costello’s antics. As with almost all of A&C’s movie of this period, there is some singing and dance numbers here; however, I find them to be rather entertaining and endurable this time out. *** out of ****