Uncle Charlie arrived in Santa Rosa on August 22 or 23, 1942: the headlines in the paper were "Brazil Declares War", which had happened on August 22. However, there are also two clues that point to the film being set in pre-Pearl Harbor America (prior to Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked the United States in the Pacific, bringing the U.S. into World War II). In the first dinner scene after Uncle Charlie's arrival, he presents gifts to the Newton family, including a pair of photos of their parents to Mrs. Newton, his sister. She remarks that the photos were made in 1888, and her son exclaims "Fifty-three years ago!" That would make the year 1941, not 1942. Also, when Uncle Charlie and his niece visit her father's bank, there's a sign on a teller's cage urging customers to "Buy Defense Bonds!" U.S. government bonds were renamed "War Bonds" after Dec. 7, 1941; "Defense Bonds" were sold prior to that date. The "Brazil Declares War" headline probably reflects a news story contemporary with the shooting of the movie, but it's in the wrong time frame for the action of the story itself.