When Does "All Dogs Go to Heaven" (1989) Take Place?
"All Dogs Go to Heaven" is a comedy fantasy animated film written by Don Bluth with Ken Cromar, Gary Goldman, Larry Leker, Linda Miller, Monica Parker, John Pomeroy, Guy Schulman, David J. Steinberg, and David N. Weiss that released November 17th, 1989. So when is "All Dogs Go to Heaven" set?
It takes place in the year:
We know this because when Charlie B. Barkin and Anne-Marie arrive at the orphanage, a radio drama is playing for the puppies that includes the phrase "Who does his evil deeds in the shadowed dark of night? The Phantom does." Though the fictional character the Phantom has never had a radio show, the character the Shadow certainly did and his promotional tagline is “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!” This show aired in the real world from September of 1937 AD to December of 1954 AD.
1939 AD
We know this because when Charlie B. Barkin and Anne-Marie arrive at the orphanage, a radio drama is playing for the puppies that includes the phrase "Who does his evil deeds in the shadowed dark of night? The Phantom does." Though the fictional character the Phantom has never had a radio show, the character the Shadow certainly did and his promotional tagline is “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!” This show aired in the real world from September of 1937 AD to December of 1954 AD.
Furthermore, when Charlie first arrives in Heaven, a magical book has recorded his entire life story and it begins (in the academy ratio “Full Screen” version): "CHARLIE B, BARKIN SEPTEMBER 13, 1937 MOSTLY GERMAN SHEPHERD BUT ALSO"… (Though the month is cut-off in “Widescreen”, the year is still present in both.) As no dog has lived more than 31 years in the real world, it must be sometime between 1938 AD and 1968 AD.
Therefore, it’s fairly conclusively between 1938 AD and 1954 AD.
More specifically, there's a time and place setting title card very early in the movie that reads, "LOUISIANA BAYOU, 1939", although this date does not seem to be confirmable by context.
