This is an old b&w film in the style of artsy film noir/twighlight zone setting appears to be a 40s period in a Gotham like city. Depicting life as controlled, mechanical, repetive, almost robotic. A man seems at odds to his surroundings as if he feels this life is not normal but can’t put his finger on why it is so. Every night at midnight, i think, the city shuts down, buildings shift to enclosures blocking windows and doorways from entry or exit. The citizens, in robotic or hypnotized state, will on cue retire for the night. The one odd man figures a way to stay awake, sneak out if the building to find out what goes on at night. Here memory gets fuzzy. Oddman finds a huge clock and machinary that runs life but also discovers his world is not real And seeks to escape. I think it ends with him finding a water way and he fsails away in a little boat. The movie is like a metaphor of how we are being controlled by unseen forces.

I saw a movie on tv when I was about ten.  it was in black and white.  in english.  the details are pretty sketchy in my memory.  there was a bird/man creature killing people.  it scared a woman so badly that her hair turned white.  I saw this movie in the late sixties.  I think it was in theaters at one point but don’t know when.  my best guess would be early 60’s/late50’s.  any help would be appreciated.  thanks.