The emotionally dense movie is a disturbing reflection of last year's real-life slaying of the country's top two anti-Mafia investigators in Palermo, Sicily.

The family responded by introducing anti-mafia investigators, lawyers, and mafia members to Quinnell.

More than any other anti-Mafia investigator, Mr. Falcone had achieved the status of a national hero in the fight against the mob.

Many anti-Mafia investigators believe that Mr. Lima was killed because he failed to deliver the protection they sought.

By coincidence or not, the character shares a last name with Giovanni Falcone, a courageous anti-Mafia investigator in Italy who was killed by a car bomb eight years ago.

The assassination came less than two months after Giovanni Falcone, Italy's most senior anti-Mafia investigator was killed, also in a bomb attack, along with his wife and three bodyguards.

Italian leaders have responded to the move by reaffirming their confidence in anti-Mafia investigators.

"The Mafia is not an external occupying army," said Pietro Giammanco, the island's top judicial anti-Mafia investigator.

At a time when many people around the world are expressing malaise about their public officials, the assassination last month of Italy's leading anti-Mafia investigator should be gravely noted.

Gianni de Gennaro, a top anti-Mafia investigator, said: "This was an attack in the style of the Mafia, directed toward terrorist ends.