本片描写法官德．弗朗切斯科（卡洛．切基饰）奉命从瓦莱西来到西西里的特拉巴尼接替被杀害的同事的工作，有四位宪兵担任他的保镖，在工作中四个保镖从开始的不合作到后来一起经历了风风雨雨，以至于弗朗切斯科认为他们就是他唯一可信赖的人。本片叙述的正是那些被国家召唤去从事保护如法官和政界人士的青年人，他们的生活经常处在一种异常紧张的状态中，由于众所周知的原因，这种情况在西西里更为突出。An honest Judge, with marriage problems, volunteers for a job, in a corrupt area of Sicily, the previous holder of this job having been assasinated along with his Escort. The new Judge, and his Escort (which now contains a friend of the previous Escort)attempt to discover whose palms were greased to allow a local 'Water Monopoly' to develop, while avoiding assaination attempts. Apparently based on true events !!!