Appointment with Venus is a 1951 British war comedy/drama film, a Film of the Book of the 1951 Jerrard Tickell novel of the same name. It was directed by Ralph Thomas, and stars David Niven, Glynis Johns, George Coulouris and Barry Jones.
As the forces of the Third Reich take control of the Channel Island of Armorel, the Department of Agriculture is alarmed to learn that Venus—a prize cow with a pedigree as impressive as that of any aristocrat in the land, and presently in calf by a similarly well-bred bull named Mars—was not evacuated when the small garrison of troops left. An animal of such pure stock and with such capacity for breeding cannot be left to Nazi hands. Major Valentine Moreland is tasked with rescuing Venus from the German-occupied island.
Tropes:
- Bound and Gagged: After capturing Sergeant Vogel, the heroes have him bound and gagged in the cave.
- Chain Pain: Major Mooreland hits Sergeant Vogel with the chain that had been being used to tether Venus.
- Communications Officer: Sergeant Forbes is a radio operator with experience of operating behind enemy lines whose main role on the mission is tote around the backpack-sized radio and keep the squad in contact with their naval backup and headquarters in London. He also cuts the phone lines to cripple communication of the island before they evacuate.
- Cut Phone Lines: As they prepare to leave the island, Sergeant Forbes disables the phone lines; cutting communications across the island.
- The Drunken Sailor: When first seen "Trawler" Langley is in court on a charge of being drunk and disorderly: having been arrested outside a pub while whirling a pram around his head (having first taken the baby out) and attempting to hurl it a German bomber. A Running Gag is keeping him away from alcohol for the duration of he mission so he is sober enough to perform his part.
- During the War: During WW2, British Major Valentine Moreland is tasked with rescuing a prized pedigree cow from the German-occupied Channel Island of Armorel.
- Fakin' MacGuffin: Nicola gets her artist cousin Lionel to paint another cow to resemble Venus, so they can swap her with Venus and sneak the real Venus away from the Nazis.
- Glove Slap: After learning Sergeant Vogel struck Lionel Fallaize when he wasn't expecting it, Captain Weiss slaps him across the face with his glove; telling him he is the reason why the German army is despised across Europe.
- Hey, Wait!: Major Mooreland, disguised as a fisherman, walks past a German soldier on Armorel, only for the soldier to turn around and call out "You! Come here!" Mooreland walks over to him, only to discover the soldier only wants a light for his cigarette.
- Living MacGuffin: Venus is a pregnant cow that the protagonists have to rescue from a Nazi-occupied island.
- Majorly Awesome: Officer and a Gentleman Major Valentine Mooreland is assigned the task of rescuing Venus, a prize pedigree pregnant cow, from a Nazi-occupied island. Accompanied by Nicola Fallaize, the local ruler's sister, radio operator Sergeant Forbes and naval officer "Trawler" Langley, who knows the local waters, he is inserted on to the island by submarine.
- Man in a Kilt: Being a member of a Scottish regiment, Major Valentine Mooreland wears a kilt as part of his service dress uniform while in London.
- Market-Based Title: Released in the US under the incredibly generic title of Island Rescue. Why is anyone's guess.
- Officer and a Gentleman: Major Valentine Mooreland is never less than perfectly composed and unfailingly polite despite the odd nature of his mission—having to rescue a pregnant cow from a Nazi-occupied island— and having to work with a squad that includes a female civilian and a drunken naval officer. Of course, given he is portrayed by David Niven, this should come as a surprise to no one.
- Pre-War Civilian Career: Captain Weiss was a cattle breeder in West Bayern before the war. This is unfortunate for the protagonists as it means he takes a much greater interest in the prize-winning cow Venus than any other German officer might.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Captain Weiss is an antagonist example. He is the Nazi officer in charge of the occupation of Armorel, and goes out of his way to be as reasonable as possible to the civilian population. This includes having all edicts translated into English and insisting that his troops only speak English when dealing the locals so can understand what is happening and why. He also delivers a Glove Slap to Sergeant Vogel when he learns Vogel struck Lionel Fallaize when Fallaize was not expecting it: telling Vogel that soldiers like him are the reason the German army is despised across Europe.
- Religious and Mythological Theme Naming: The cow Venus' mate (who is killed before the film starts by a landmine) was a bull named Mars.
- Reluctant Warrior: Lionel Fallaize is an artist who refused to join up when the war started because he dislikes violence, uniforms and people telling him what to do. However, after getting caught up in the plan to rescue Venus, he sees Vogel about to shoot Mooreland, he jumps at Vogel to get Vogel's attention and takes the bullet intended for Mooreland. Later, when his wound is being tended, he says that he doesn't know what came over him, but he was compelled to act when he saw what was happening, and the implication is that he intends to sign up when the squad gets back to Britain.
- Taking the Bullet: Lionel sees Vogel about to shoot Mooreland, he jumps at Vogel to get Vogel's attention and takes the bullet intended for Mooreland.
- Three-Month-Old Newborn: The animal equivalent with Venus' newborn calf being much larger, cleaner and drier than he should be.
- Try and Follow: The heroes spirit the cow and her calf onto a Royal Navy Motor Torpedo Boat to take them to Britain. They are pursued by a German E-boat, which they sink when Trawler steers the torpedo boat through a narrow channel and the E-boat—with its deeper draught—rips out its hull on the rocks just below the surface.
- Very Loosely Based on a True Story: Loosely based on the WW2 evacuation of Alderney cattle from the Channel Islands.
- You Didn't Ask: When Major Mooreland discovers that Nicola is the sister of the Suzerain, the hereditary ruler of Armorel, he asks why she hadn't told him earlier. She replies "I thought you already knew".
