Synopsis
"Falselyaccusedasthemurdererofmyownhusband...Oh,thecruelmachinationsoffate!"Afemaleteacher(LeeYong-ae)givessheltertoanescapedconvict,butherhusband,misconstruingherintentions,reactsviolentlyandaccidentallystabshimselftodeathintheprocess.Theteacherischargedwithherhusband'smurder,butfortunatelytheprosecutoronthecaseisaformerstudentofhers,ofwhomshehadtakenpainstakingcarewhenshewasworkingatanelementaryschool.Rememberingherkindnesstohim,theprosecutoruncoversherinnocenceincourt,andsheisacquittedofthecrime.
Notes
"Asilentmoviethatallowsustoexaminethenarrator-accompaniedmethodof16mmfilms"(ChungJong-wha)
APublicProsecutorandaTeacherisfamiliartousfortheperformanceofShinChool,Korea'slastsilentmovienarrator(knownas"byeonsa"inKorean).Numerouscriticshaverecommendedthefilm,praisingitas"asilentmoviethatallowsustoexaminethenarrator-accompaniedmethodof16mmfilms"(ChungJong-wha),"theworkofKorea'slastsilentmovienarrator"(KimHong-joon),amoviethat"reflectsthepublic'sconsciousnessandhasgreathistoricalvalue"(LeeSeung-hun),and"thearchetypalnew-schoolfilm"(ChungSung-il).Asevidencedbysuchcommentary,APublicProsecutorandaTeacherenjoysgreaterrecognitionforitshistoricalvalueastheonlysurvivingsilentmovieinKoreathanforitsartisticortechnicalaspects.Whatisironicisthefactthatthisrecognitionderivesfromaproductionandscreeningmethodthatfellbehindthetimes,assoundfilms(or"talkies")hadalreadybecomethenormwhenthemoviewasfirstmade.Itsinclusioninthelististhereforebasedonitshistorical,socialcontextratherthanonthefilmitself.
Afterword:
-NarratedbyShinChool,whoisknownasKorea'slastsilentfilmnarrator,APublicProsecutorandaTeacherhasbeenscreenedatseveralfilmfestivalssincethelatterhalfofthe1990s.