When Does "Pretty Woman" (1990) Take Place?
"Pretty Woman" is a romance film written by J. F. Lawton and released March 23rd, 1990.
It takes place in the year:
We know this because, at roughly three-quarters through the film, a “The Los Angeles Times” newspaper vending machine is visible full of issues with the headline “COMPLETE COVERAGE THE BATTLE IN PANAMA”. It refers to the famous and tragic United States of America's invasion of Panama, conducted from December 20th, 1989 AD to January 31st, 1990 AD. This tells us it is either late 1989 AD or early 1990 AD. However, Manuel Noriega (the then-ruler of Panama) surrendered on January 3rd, 1990 AD. Most American news coverage, and certainly headlines like the one seen in the film, would have ceased when the fighting did.
1989 AD
We know this because, at roughly three-quarters through the film, a “The Los Angeles Times” newspaper vending machine is visible full of issues with the headline “COMPLETE COVERAGE THE BATTLE IN PANAMA”. It refers to the famous and tragic United States of America's invasion of Panama, conducted from December 20th, 1989 AD to January 31st, 1990 AD. This tells us it is either late 1989 AD or early 1990 AD. However, Manuel Noriega (the then-ruler of Panama) surrendered on January 3rd, 1990 AD. Most American news coverage, and certainly headlines like the one seen in the film, would have ceased when the fighting did.
No mention is made of Christmas or New Year’s Eve but the newspaper front page is seen on the Thursday night of the Monday to Friday week Edward Lewis and Vivian Ward spend together. So the film most likely either takes place the week before Christmas or the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve in December of 1989 AD.
