Venus Peter

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 Peters idealism comes when his grandfathers ship is repossessed Despite the bleakness of his surroundings and his seemingly deadend existence however Peter never completely lets go of his dreams and the film ends on a positive note