Mains criminelles

A lively Mexican hybrid of 'Double Indemnity' and 'Nightmare Alley' that proves still timely today as both the rich and the poor seek solace in the slick patter furnished by fraudulent medium Arturo de Cordova; lit by Alex Phillips with the same hard elegance supplied by greedy and seductive femme fatale Leticia Palma - as sleek and deadly as the silenced pistol de Cordova presents her with

After a delirious final half-hour the entire cast is decisively upstaged at the finale by the amazing set on which it's played out, worthy of Anton Grot in his Warner Bros. heyday twenty years earlier.

Roberto Gavaldon's thrillers compare favorably with the best American ones ; "en la palma de tu mano " ,like " la otra" or "el nino y la niebla", is a peak of film noir , with two extraordinary actors ,Arturo De Cordova and leticia Palma (what a name for this part!)

It suggests the presence of obscure forces , of a supernatural fate written in the stars ,without all the special effects which mar today's thrillers;although the so called witch is a charlatan , with his two-bit paraphernalia,although his crystal ball is a simple glass globe, it seems that he unleashes evil powers which go against him ; the scene with the mother,Carmelita, although he leads the poor woman up the garden path ,has something magic (after all ,he tells the truth , and he wants to leave her her illusions ).

This blackmailer is not cardboard and the same goes for the millionaire's widow; they form an unexpected team ,and never the viewer knows who dominates who : the femme fatale who uses him to satisfy her dirty deeds ,or the man who might possibly possess real powers ?

The screenplay is extremely strong,and Galvadon's directing is up to scratch : the scene of the spare wheel can rival with the best of Hitchcock ; the places are impressive ,from the house of the faux magician with its eyes that spy on everything to the huge morgue , where the hero is overcome by an incredible twist of fate (the unexpected end comes aside as a shock ,and curiously ,it's just after a strange vision on the street -the only supernatural element in the whole film -.)

The beginning may remind some viewers of Hitchcock's ulterior "family plot" (1976) , but "en la palma de tu mano " is much stronger and leaves Hitchcock's final effort far behind .And Sir Alfred is my all time favorite director.

"Profesor" Karin (Arturo de Cordova) is a fortune teller. He works in conjunction with his assistant Clara (Carmen Montejo), whose job in a hairdresser's helps her to get information about Karin's clients. Clara is also Karin's girlfriend.

One day reading a newspaper Karin learns about the death of a millionaire, Vittorio Romano, leaving an inheritance of millions to his widow Ada Cisneros (Leticia Palma) and his nephew Leon (Ramon Gay). Karin sees something fishy in the business and decides to investigate the story on his own and maybe get his share.

He goes to Vittorio Romano's deathwatch and approaches the widow Ada, insinuating that Vittorio was his client and he knows a lot but he's a discreet man. Karin's fishing in troubled waters, he knows, but the result can be very rewarding from a financial point of view.

Karin notices that Ada (Vittorio's widow) and Leon (the nephew) stick together and the logical conclusion comes to his mind. Ada is afraid and wants to play with Karin, to watch his movements, and maybe....

Now we enter a cat and mouse play. We don't know who's really in control. And the story is somewhat misleading - what looks like a triangle ("Profesor" Karin, Ada Cisneros and Leon) is perhaps a twosome, or even a onesome. Karin thinks that he has everything under control. Has he? He has read Ada's hands and said something like that: "Your hands are beautiful and cruel. You like to crush things with your little teeth".

Ada (the stunning Leticia Palma) is incredibly beautiful and seducing. It's impossible to read her Mona Lisa smile, that bares little teeth that could belong to a hungry tigress. Underneath her ambiguous sweetness there's an iron will and, as Karin rightly diagnoses, the killing accuracy of a guillotine. He's on a game where he thinks he's the master. But who's driving this car? And Leon, what's his real place in this story? And what about Karin's girlfriend, Clara? We have here a psychological thriller told in all its shades and lights. Subtle suspense and sensuality permeate the story that grows to a crescendo till the surprising ending.

I don't know why this is not often considered a Film Noir, it has all the elements, it easily competes with the best Noir from France and US. A very well written story by Luis Spota and superbly directed by Roberto Gavaldón.

Another splendid collaboration between director Robert Gavaldón and writer José Revueltas, in this case adapted from a story by Luis Spota which offers Arturo de Córdova the kind of role at which he excels, that of a morally ambivalent character in the grip of an erotic obssession. The object of his desire is delicious but deadly Leticia Palma as one of Film Noir's most notable femmes fatales. This is indisputably her meatiest role and who knows how her career might have developed had she not become embroiled in a dispute with Jorge Negrete which caused her to be blacklisted. Mention must be made of the touching performance by Carmen Montejo whose character's sad demise provides the film's final, devastating twist.

The film's 'noir' credentials are underlined by the chiaroscuros and canted angles of cinematographer Alex Phillips, the dramatic score by Raúl Lavista and the astonishing Production Design by Francisco Chillet.

Perfectionist Gavaldón, affectionately nicknamed 'The Ogre', was demanding of his actors but enabled them to shine in vivid roles in commercial hits. This one is certainly no exception, winning eight of eleven Ariel nominations including one for its leading man.

A landmark 'noir' which continues to captivate over seventy years on and provides a perfect introduction to the work of one of cinema's stylists.