King Kong Only Works Then

King Kong. This is still one of the greatest stories ever told. Its really a story about the shrinking of the world, about the primitive and the modern, the primeval and the industrial. Here is the collision of two forces of history, the raw power of nature, pitted against the manufactured power of man (which is arguably just nature's raw power extended, but that is for another day). The giant ape pitted against guns, planes, a city full of people and all the other bits and pieces that string our world together.

The only thing they have in common is beauty.

When Kong climbs atop that building and beats his chest and roars his challenge to the oncoming planes, it was the primeval world's last shout at modernity and the ever growing industrialization of the planet. 

It would have its moments, but when Kong falls, so falls the primeval world.

It doesn't work to put the story in a later era, the machine age is far too advanced, even by WW2. This is a story of two ages, one at the end, the other at the beginning.