The Ninth Configuration

Colonel Hudson Kane, an Army psychiatrist, arrives at a remote gothic castle in New England that has been converted into a military asylum for soldiers who broke down while serving. Rather than restrain the patients, Kane meets their delusions with calm indulgence, letting them act out their fantasies. His unconventional methods draw him into a close and complicated friendship with Captain Billy Cutshaw, one of the men under his care, even as Kane's own mental state comes under strain.

William Peter Blatty wrote, produced and directed the film, adapting his own novel. It was his first turn behind the camera, and he returned to directing a decade later with The Exorcist III. Stacy Keach leads as Kane, with Scott Wilson as Cutshaw, and Jason Miller, Ed Flanders, Neville Brand and George DiCenzo among the credited cast of twenty-seven; forty crew members are credited.

The film blends comedy, drama, horror, mystery and thriller elements across its 118 minutes and was released in the United States in February 1980. On IMDb it holds a 6.7 rating from around 10,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6.4 from a much smaller base of 176 votes, suggesting a modest but durable following. A critics' rating of 7 out of 10 from fifteen reviews places critical opinion slightly above the audience scores.