The Locusts 1997
Directed by
John Patrick Kelley
Made by
Orion Pictures
The Locusts Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The Locusts (1997). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Clay Hewitt drifts into a small Kansas town in 1955, seeking work to fund a visit to his older brother in California. He quickly forms a connection with Kitty, the local beauty queen, and befriends the quiet farmhand Earl, who helps him land a job at a cattle farm owned by the wealthy widow Delilah Ashford Potts. Delilah is known for maintaining sexual relationships with her young employees, and the town is still reading the scars of her husband’s suicide after catching her cheating on him.
Clay rejects Delilah’s advances and soon finds himself at odds with her latest lover, Joel Carter.
Clay befriends Delilah’s sensitive and introverted son, Joseph ‘Flyboy’ Potts, who has just returned from a psychiatric institution and whose only companion is his late father’s aging pet bull. Flyboy was institutionalized for eight years after finding his father’s corpse as a child, and he endures constant humiliation as Delilah makes him cook and clean for the farmhands, who frequently mistreat him. Clay takes Flyboy under his wing and shares that his older brother died in an accident two years prior. At Clay’s suggestion, Flyboy asks Delilah to be allowed to work with the animals, but Delilah responds by having Joel Carter tie up Flyboy and force him to watch as she castrates Flyboy’s pet bull, which bleeds to death. Horrified by Delilah’s cruelty, Flyboy ends his romance with Delilah and leaves the farm, and Delilah departs soon afterwards for a business trip.
Clay confesses to Kitty that he is on the run from the authorities after being wrongfully blamed for the death of an old girlfriend in his hometown—they were having sex in a pool when she slipped and broke her neck. He plans to skip town and enlists Kitty’s help to teach Flyboy how to stand up for himself before leaving. Kitty sets Flyboy up with one of her friends, but when she tries to get intimate, Flyboy breaks down and tells Clay that Delilah sexually abused him when he was a child and arranged for his father to catch them, driving him to suicide, for which Flyboy blames himself. Disgusted, Clay decides to take Flyboy with him.
While Flyboy and Kitty wait for him at the lake, Clay returns to the farm to retrieve his payment and is confronted by Delilah, who has learned about the criminal charges against him. Delilah reveals that she became pregnant from being raped by her father, whom she killed in a fit of rage. Her husband, an old friend of her father, agreed to marry her and raise Flyboy as his own son to spare her shame, but Delilah could never bring herself to love either of them, and instead sought to destroy them. She blackmails Clay into having sex with her in exchange for not turning him in. Flyboy returns to the farm to search for Clay and finds him in bed with Delilah, as she had intended. Heartbroken, Flyboy commits suicide in the same manner as his father did. An enraged Clay goes after Delilah, but she shoots herself before he can reach her. Kitty arrives and comforts Clay as he mourns Flyboy’s death, and they leave town together.
The Locusts Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of The Locusts (1997) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Clay arrives in town seeking work
In 1955, drifter Clay Hewitt wanders into a small Kansas town in search of employment to finance a trip to California. He quickly assesses the local mood and crosses paths with a local beauty queen, Kitty, hinting at the relationships to come. His arrival sets the stage for his entanglement with Delilah Ashford Potts and her farm.
Earl helps land him a job on the Potts cattle farm
With the help of farmhand Earl, Clay secures a job at Delilah Ashford Potts' cattle farm. He begins to settle into farm life and forms an early connection with Kitty, the town beauty queen, while keeping a wary eye on Delilah’s reputation. The farm becomes the center of his unfolding troubles.
Delilah's husband commits suicide after catching her cheating
Delilah’s husband takes his own life after discovering her infidelity, underlining the ruthless dynamic around the Potts farm. The incident deepens Clay's wariness of Delilah and foreshadows the power she wields over her workers. This backdrop explains why Clay is wary of getting involved with her.
Clay rejects Delilah’s advances; rivalry with Joel Carter begins
Clay resists Delilah’s advances, earning her anger and sparking a rivalry with her current lover, Joel Carter. The dynamic injects tension into the farm’s social circle and foreshadows further conflict. Clay’s stand also marks his decision not to become another of Delilah’s affairs.
Clay befriends Flyboy, Delilah’s son
Clay develops a protective friendship with Joseph Flyboy Potts, a sensitive, withdrawn youth who has just returned from a psychiatric institution. Flyboy shares the trauma of his family’s history and his sense of isolation on the farm. The bond becomes central to the story’s emotional core.
Flyboy asks to work with the animals
At Clay’s suggestion, Flyboy asks Delilah to be allowed to work with the animals on the farm, hoping for purpose and belonging. Delilah uses this moment to consolidate control over him and the other workers. The request pushes the social dynamics toward a breaking point.
Delilah’s cruelty escalates: Flyboy’s bull is castrated
Delilah, aided by Joel, ties Flyboy up and forces him to watch as she castrates his pet bull, which bleeds to death. The act devastates Flyboy and reveals the depth of Delilah’s coercive power. The farm’s atmosphere shifts from tense to doomed.
Joel ends his affair and leaves the farm
The brutal incident prompts Joel to end his romance with Delilah and depart the farm, removing a key ally from her inner circle. The departure marks a turning point in the power struggle on the property. Flyboy’s trauma deepens as the adults’ conflicts intensify.
Delilah departs on a business trip
Delilah leaves the farm for a business trip, stepping away from the immediate control she wields over her workers. This temporary absence provides Clay with an opening to plan his next move and to help Flyboy. Flyboy remains on the farm amid the ongoing turmoil.
Clay confides in Kitty and recruits help for Flyboy
Clay reveals to Kitty that he is on the run from authorities after a wrongful death charge and asks for her help teaching Flyboy to stand up for himself. Kitty agrees and arranges for Flyboy to be mentored by one of her friends. The plan focuses on giving Flyboy agency before Clay’s departure.
Flyboy reveals Delilah’s abuse and Clay commits to protecting him
Flyboy confides to Clay that Delilah sexually abused him as a child and helped drive his father to suicide, for which Flyboy blames himself. This disclosure strengthens Clay’s resolve to intervene and protect Flyboy, even as the danger of confrontation grows. The bond between Clay and Flyboy becomes a catalyst for the tragedy ahead.
Tragedy, confrontation, and departure
Clay returns to the farm to collect his payment and is confronted by Delilah, who tries to coerce him into a sexual bargain to avoid arrest. Flyboy arrives on the scene and, finding Clay with Delilah, dies by suicide in the same manner as his father. Enraged, Clay confronts Delilah, who then shoots herself; Kitty arrives to comfort Clay, and the two leave town together.
The Locusts Characters
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Clay Hewitt (Vince Vaughn)
A drifter on the run from a wrongful death accusation, Clay is wary but principled. He forms a protective bond with Flyboy and gently challenges Delilah’s control, choosing to remove Flyboy from a place of abuse. His decision to leave town with Flyboy marks a personal act of mercy and consequence.
Kitty (Ashley Judd)
A local beauty queen who becomes entangled in the town’s moral maze. She assists Clay and offers emotional support, while also navigating her own precarious position within Delilah’s world. Kitty’s complicity and compassion add depth to the film’s exploration of loyalty.
Joseph 'Flyboy' Potts (Jeremy Davies)
Delilah’s sensitive ward who recently returned from a psychiatric institution. He endures abuse and manipulation, finds a mentor in Clay, and is haunted by the trauma of his father’s death. Flyboy’s fragility and bravery culminate in a devastating act that catalyzes the film’s moral reckoning.
Delilah Ashford Potts (Kate Capshaw)
A wealthy widow who uses sexuality and power to control those around her. Her past, manipulation, and willingness to destroy others reveal a terrifying willingness to protect her own status. Her arc ends in tragedy as her secrets unravel and she meets a violent, self-inflicted end.
Earl (Paul Rudd)
A farmhand who secures Clay a job and becomes a loyal ally. He represents the ordinary, hard-working ethos of rural life and provides a steady counterbalance to the town’s darker impulses. Earl’s presence helps anchor Clay in a community that is both supportive and complicated.
Joel Carter (Daniel Meyer)
Delilah’s volatile lover who participates in the farm’s brutal dynamics. His actions—binding Flyboy and colluding in cruelty—highlight the corrosive effects of power and desire. Joel’s involvement accelerates the unraveling of the farm’s secrets and the town’s moral fabric.
The Locusts Settings
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Time period
1955
The story unfolds in 1955, a period of postwar optimism tempered by conservative social norms in rural America. Traditional gender roles and moral codes shape how characters interact and hide their true motives. The era’s restraints amplify the drama surrounding abuse, loyalty, and justice in a small town.
Location
Kansas town
Set in a small, rural town in Kansas, the landscape centers on open plains, dusty roads, and a dominant cattle farm. The community is tight-knit yet judgmental, with power dynamics playing out behind closed doors. The farm owned by Delilah Ashford Potts serves as the focal point where secrets and cruelty intersect with everyday life.
The Locusts Themes
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Power
The film centers on how Delilah wields control over her farm, finances, and relationships to maintain authority. Power is exerted through manipulation, sexual coercion, and social status, creating a climate of fear and compliance. Clay’s arrival disrupts this balance, challenging the widow’s dominance and exposing the town’s complicity.
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Trauma
Flyboy’s backstory and present vulnerability reveal the lingering wounds of abuse and institutional neglect. The trauma shapes his sense of self and behavior, influencing his interactions with Clay, Kitty, and Joel. The film tracks how traumatic memories fuel desperate actions and tragic outcomes.
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Secrets
Hidden histories—Delilah’s past, her pregnancy, and the truth about Flyboy’s family—drive the plot and moral ambiguity. Secrets drive the characters to betray, threaten, and ultimately harm one another. The pursuit of truth collides with the town’s willingness to protect appearances over justice.
The Locusts Spoiler-Free Summary
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In the sweltering summer of 1955, a small Kansas town clings to the rhythm of dust‑laden fields and modest ambitions. The heart of the community is a sprawling cattle ranch owned by a widowed matriarch whose name carries as much reverence as it does whispered caution. Into this world wanders Clay Hewitt, a handsome drifter with a shadowed past, hoping a few weeks of honest work will fund the journey toward a promised reunion with his brother. Shortly after his arrival, he catches the eye of Kitty, the town’s celebrated beauty queen, whose charm masks a curiosity that pulls her toward the outsider. The quiet, observant farmhand Earl becomes Clay’s first point of contact, offering a steady presence amid the unspoken tensions that linger on the acreage.
Delilah Ashford Potts commands the ranch with an alluring blend of authority and sensuality, known for intertwining business with intimacy among the men who tend her land. Her reputation is steeped in stories of whispered affairs and a lingering melancholy that hints at a tragic family history still felt by the townsfolk. Sharing her side of the estate is Joel Carter, a loyal companion whose presence adds a layer of rivalry and intrigue to the daily grind. Also residing on the property is Joseph “Flyboy” Potts, the proprietor’s introverted son whose quiet demeanor and fragile confidence suggest a past riddled with hidden wounds, and whose bond with the animals offers him a fragile sanctuary.
As Clay settles into the rhythm of the ranch, he finds himself caught between Delilah’s magnetic pull and the cautious warmth offered by Kitty and Earl. The dynamics among the residents are a careful dance of attraction, unspoken obligations, and lingering secrets that refuse to stay buried beneath the prairie sky. Beneath the dusty horizons, a palpable tension thrums, promising that the simple act of earning a wage may unravel far more than Clay ever anticipated, drawing him deeper into a world where trust is fragile and betrayal waits in the shadows.
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