Deux nigauds dans le foin

12 year old Princess is driving her father King O'Hara's horse drawn carriage around Central Park. Wilbur Hoolihan (Lou Costello) is their bumbling cab driver friend and Grover Mockridge (Bud Abbott) is his new friend. He feeds the O'Hara horse Finnegan candy and it gets sick. When the horse dies, the guys have to get some money fast.

That's a rough diner there. I've never seen one with three giant bouncers. A sick horse is hard to make funny and it's even harder with a dead one. There has to be a better way for the plot to force Wilbur to pay back the Princess. Maybe the horse runs away and the boys have to go looking for it. Otherwise, Lou is a great comedic talent and he makes the best of it. He does do a lot of the same thing where he misunderstands what people say. It's the Who's on First bit. This is still a fun musical comedy but the dead horse is a speed bump. Also look out for Shemp Howard in a supporting role.

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 ****

This film has not been restored and the Bud and Lou routines are great with perfect timing. One of their best routines are when they are by the race horse which is pulling the open carriage and Lou is briefed on the horse being a mudder and that the horse eats his fodder. The Step Brothers dancing scene is top rate and I haven't seen anything like it anywhere else. The Damon Runyon dialogue is great but because of the studios and family licensing differences, this film will pass into oblivion. What a shame this will be lost when so many would really enjoy it. The copies that are available are of such poor quality you really can't enjoy them.

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!

I spent years and years searching for IT AIN'T HAY, as it was the only A&C film missing from my collection. I finally got it this past Christmas. It isn't one of their better films, but it's still Abbott and Costello, and very enjoyable. There are several songs toward the beginning of the film, but by the second half they tone down quite a bit, which helps the film big time. This film also features among the best versions of the "Mudder; Fodder" routine. Costello is particularly funny in this one, and also has a couple of moments where he shows what a great dramatic actor he could be. Like I said, it isn't BUCK PRIVATES or MEET FRANKENSTEIN, but it's still good old Bud and Lou doing what they do best, and that's good enough for any true fan.