The Western is a genre that has fallen into disfavor in recent years, but in the golden days of Hollywood some of the greatest talents in the business told tales of bold men and strong women who rode the open range. If you want to dive into this fascinating genre, here are five essential movies to get you started.

Tombstone
This 1993 Western briefly brought the genre back to popularity. Dramatizing the events of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, the flick boasts incredible performances from Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday and Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp. It won raves from audiences, opening six months before a similar Kevin Costner movie.

High Noon
Gary Cooper stars as Marshall Will Kane, one of the most iconic protagonists in Western history. When criminal Frank Miller returns to town to settle old scores, it all leads up to a gunfight that is unmatched in cinematic history.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Sergio Leone’s Italian western classic made Clint Eastwood a household name, and his performance as Blondie is one of his best. When three bounty hunters converge in a deserted town during the Civil War, bullets fly and blood flows.

True Grit
John Wayne is one of the most famous Western actors of all time, and his performance as the dissolute Rooster Cogburn in this 1969 adaptation of the Charles Portis novel won him an Academy Award.

The Wild Bunch
Sam Peckinpah’s masterpiece is a little cruder and more graphic than some of the other films on this list, but its cutting-edge editing and revolutionary slow motion makes it a must-watch.

Wishing all of the mothers a very happy and relaxing Mother's Day surrounded by the ones you love.

Don't forget The Monarch by Windsor's Mother's Day Brunch Saturday, Starting at 10AM In the Lobby!