What year is this supposed to take place in?

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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Defiant Ones

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AnnetteJS — 14 years ago(November 24, 2011 06:52 AM)

I'm writing about this movie, and I really need to figure out what year it's supposed to take place in. It's a normal assumption to think a movie is set in whatever year it's made, but that's out of the question here (since chain gangs had been phased out in the USA by 1955).
Does anyone know, or can make an educated guess? Many thanks in advance!

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mike-osullivan3 — 14 years ago(November 30, 2011 11:51 AM)

I thought that chain gangs had been re-introduced in Arizona by Sheriff Joe Arpaio?

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vinidici — 14 years ago(January 16, 2012 07:00 PM)

It's definitely set during the Depression, early 1930's; the vintage prop motor vehicles and the "hard times" demeanor of all of the characters pretty much determine that for us the viewers.
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freezerqueenbl — 14 years ago(February 18, 2012 02:19 PM)

I'd say it took place in the 50s; Carl Switzer's character carries around the transistor-type radio that is playing music from that era. Also, I believe the police cars were from the same timeframe.

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elisedfr — 12 years ago(June 18, 2013 11:10 AM)

Agree. The sets do look "vintage" but that's because the characters go through small, isolated towns. The woman's house at the end could have belonged to a western. But otherwise, the transistor, police cars and all make it look contemporary.
" You ain't running this place, Bert, WILLIAMS is!" Sgt Harris

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iray-2 — 12 years ago(August 11, 2013 01:21 PM)

In the woman's house, there is a shot that shows a calendar on the wall and it pretty clearly says June, 1958.

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spookyrat1 — 10 years ago(July 26, 2015 07:14 AM)

there is a shot that shows a calendar on the wall and it pretty clearly says June, 1958.
I didn't notice it, but the clothes and transistor radio music lead me to agree with you.