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.
