"A Christmas Story" Question

[Getslow]

I'm currently having my mind blown by a discussion on Twitter and wanted to get thoughts from other fans of the movie on BGP before I delved into the discussion. So here's the question:

 

In about what year does the holiday classic "A Christmas Story" take place?

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

1940-something

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

They didn't have a TV in their home. Living room centered around the radio...and the leg lamp.

[Irish Cat]

At 1:41 the decoder ring is shown with the date 1940 on it.

 

[video=youtube;Q9k3uqFh--c]

[Randy Parker]

Bob Clark (Director) & Jean Shepherd (Writer/Narrator) said late 30's/early 40's.

[jericho]

It has to be after 1939, that's when wizard of oz came out.

[rockmom]

I've never been able to manage watching the whole movie, let alone know all the details.

[jericho]

The whole movie is awesome.

I LOVE IT

[frankdracman23]

There is a debate about when the film takes place. Evidence seems to point to 1939 because of The Wizard of Oz (1939) references. The decoder ring points to 1940. However, if you look at the calendar on the wall (during the first dinner sequence), you can clearly see the first of December falls on a Friday. December 1st fell on a Friday in 1939, not 1940 as was previously accepted. But Bing Crosby's Version of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town wasn't released until 1943.

[Getslow]

You guys are clearly much more attentive than I am. I had this movie squarely pegged in the early post-war years in my mind.

 

But all the little things definitely seem to point to a time before WWII.

[jericho]

8 tonight the marathon begins.

If never seen at least watch it once. Awesome

[MJAlltheWay24]

Before reading through the thread, I would have guess late 40's or early 50's.

[TAC]

Go to the website IMDB. And look up 'A Christmas Story' and look under 'goofs'. So many mistakes for the setting of 1939. Mentions several of those already posted but also things like chattering teeth being invented later. A kid in the class room wearing a digital watch. Pretty fun read.

 

FYI great app to find a name of a movie or the actors in it.

[UK#1fanisback]

You can go to Cleveland and tour the house.

[TAC]

You can go to Cleveland and tour the house.

 

It has to be twice as cheesy as a tour of Graceland.