在这部烈女门剧情片中,鄉間一個門第家庭，一個新寡的年輕媳婦(崔銀姬)與守節多年的家姑同住。農忙時節，由城市前來打工的現代青年 (申榮均) 暗地跟媳婦相戀，婦人更因此懷孕。貞節牌坊屹立的村落自是容不下一個寡婦有孕，而女子結果也由得所愛男子與初生兒子被逐離村，自己終其節婦身份度過一生。
本片可視作申相玉前作《媽媽和畫家叔叔》(Mother and a Guest, 1961)的變奏，片中寡婦同樣為了保存家族聲譽而犧牲了自己的愛情。《烈女門》於第二屆大鐘獎(1963)獲得最佳電影、最佳男主角及最佳剪接三個大獎，並參展第十三屆柏林電影節。
The widow of a nobleman bears a son after having an affair with her servant. The servant and the baby are driven from the home by the woman's irate in-laws when the truth is discovered. Even after the child is grown, no contact is allowed between he and his mother who now denies the events of her past.
