Venus Peter (1989): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1989, Venus Peter is a drama film directed by Ian Sellar, running about 94 minutes.

What it’s about. Produced for Scottish television, Venus Peter was financed by the Orkney Islands Council. The title character is transformed into a "sea child" when he is baptized with salt water. Though his family tries hard to accustom him to life on land, Peter (Gordon R. Strachan) yearns to go to sea -- or, at the very least, to escape his cloistered community. He finds a kindred spirit in Princess Paloma (Juliet Cadzow), the village "looney," who, alas, is eventually carted away to an institution. Briefly fascinated by poetry and music, thanks to his lovely teacher Miss Balsibie (Sinead Cusack), Peter is disillusioned when he finds his teacher in the arms of her lover (and out of her clothing). The final blow to Peter's idealism comes when his grandfather's ship is repossessed. Despite the bleakness of his surroundings and his seemingly dead-end existence, however, Peter never completely lets go of his dreams, and the film ends on a positive note.

Who’s in it. Venus Peter stars George Anton as Billy, Ray McAnally as Grandpa, Sinéad Cusack as Miss Balsilbie and Gordon R Strachan as Peter, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.8/10, Venus Peter has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Venus Peter page.

If you liked it. Fans of Venus Peter tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.