Care of the Hair and Nails (1951)

★★★★★ · AIEEEEEEEEE!!!!! · Spuzz · 2003-02-25

Just about the most creepiest character ever devised for a fantasy film comes out and warns the kids about good hair and nail habits. Although she's not as hysterical as 'Soapy The Germ Fighter' (which, sadly, is not on the Prelinger Archives) this fairy god mother person just is about the most grating person ever presented in any film I have ever seen. She gives awful advice about nail and hair care ('always brush your hair 50 or more times a night!") and doesnt shy away from medical examples (Ringworm! Lice! Hangnails!!!!!! AIEEE!). Oh man, this film is a keeper and is a MUST SEE.

★★★★★ · "the Cuticle!" · uniQ · 2011-04-21

First, let me note that the portrait on the wall has a name! He's called Struwwelpeter and has an entire book to his name. First, and most notably, the premise of this story is hilarious. A colonial American woman who has magic powers goes around telling boys and girls to groom themselves properly! Let me add her "magic" has to be seen and heard to be believed. Sproing! Leaving aside the advice about how often to wash your hair, let me say that the "magic eyes" concept is completely unnecessary. Unfortunately there are some cuts to the sound track in places, especially around the fingernail.…

★★★★ · I Keep This Film Around to Remind Me How Many Evil Sprite Characters Still Need My Help · Christine Hennig · 2004-01-15

The Hair-and-Nails Fairy appears and tells us how she ÃÂhelpsÃÂ children by getting them to be compulsive about hair and nail care through the magic of film reversal. I thought initially we were getting into Evil territory, but sheÃÂs really only an Evil-Wanna-Be. She even admits that she is often ÃÂhelpsÃÂ her victims by remaining invisible, revealing a severe lack of the shamelessness that is so fundamental to these characters. You wouldnÃÂt catch Mr. B Natural or Soapy operating under a cloak of invisibility! And her only magical powers seem to be having a magic wand that makes guitar…

★★★★ · I Keep Myself Invisible Most of the Time · Dodsworth the Cat · 2025-06-03

Pushing back cuticles? Brushing hair more than 100 times to make it glossy? This second-rate Spring Byington in a Mother Goose outfit is too much. Her magic wand looks like a car radio antenna. And she talks down to her young audience. We learn that, somehow, a kid can wash his hands but not clean dirt around finger nails. There's so much ridiculousness going on in this film, right down to the sound effects during the fast pan, it gets an above-average rating.

★★★★ · OCD fairy · scrounge · 2005-05-01

This educational film points out hygeine care tips for children in a laughable way. The OCD fairy tells us many "habits" to get into about hair and nail care. She advises "Don't use anybody's comb but your own." She chastises the girl in the film: "Alice, you go right back and brush your hair until it shines", then informs the viewer to brush "100 strokes or more" to make it "gleam and glisten", even for boys. She also tells us "washing hair every week is a good habit" LOL Toward the end she does add a qualifier: "Or oftener, if it needs it"