The Cinder Path

In the film version of Catherine Cookson's classic The Cinder Path, Lloyd Owen finds himself in a love triangle between the beautiful Catherine Zeta-Jones and her sister Maria Miles. While that doesn't seem to be the biggest head-scratcher in the world, there's a lot more to the plot, putting Lloyd in quite a pickle before the film's even half-over. It's a period piece, set during WWI, and for fans of that time period, it's one of the best.

The casting is fantastic, with Antony Byrne as a menacing villain, Catherine Zeta-Jones as a love-to-hate English Scarlett O'Hara, and Lloyd Owen as a hero who's easy to root for but still frustrating enough to warrant some advice spoken aloud to your television. Maria Miles's pronunciation of "Charlie" is pretty hilarious, and it's a bit of a running joke in my house to imitate her.

All in all, there's a bit of everything in this story: love, war, death, repentance, revenge, blackmail, infidelity, and beautiful people wearing beautiful costumes. The Cinder Path is perfect to rent on a rainy afternoon after having tea with your girlfriends.