At the Belem Hilton Pool Bar

June 6th, 2024

At the Belem Hilton Pool Bar, September 1990

June 6th, 2024

I’d been in Belem, Brazil, at the mouth of the Amazon River just 120 miles south of the Equator, for five months. It was a long five months in the 120F heat, 90% humidity, and daily dysentery as I was there working on the film “At Play in the Fields of the Lord.”

I was the aircraft mechanic working with David Jones and the aerial unit to maintain the Dehavilland Beaver used in the movie.

David Jones was a famous stunt pilot and aerial coordinator. If you remember the famous helicopter scene in “Apocalypse Now,” it was David Jones. Jones could fly a helicopter better than anyone, and he had an artistic sense about him. He was a good boss to me, and we were friends.

The film crew and actors stayed at the Belem Hilton on Avenida Presidente Vargas. It was the best hotel in Belem. I was there in my room in 808 until, well, let’s just say girlfriend problems caused me to move to the Hotel Sagres a mile away.

But I’d still go to the Belem Hilton on Sundays, our one day off from filming, because I had friends there and liked the open-air Tiki Bar by the pool.

It was the usual hot 120F sunny and humid Sunday afternoon as I sat at the Tiki Hut Bar. Fabian, the bartender, told me that Tom Berenger, the actor, had 14 gin and tonics the night before at the Tiki Hut Bar.

I told Fabian that I could beat that record, but I preferred vodka tonics.

So I spent the afternoon drinking 18 vodka tonics at the Tiki Hut Pool Bar.

I was getting ready to pay, leave, and get a taxi back to the Hotel Sagres when Fabian said, “Why don’t I charge your drinks to David Jones’ room?”

“Fine by me.” I said.

I went back to Hotel Sagres and went to bed with my girlfriend.

The next day, I walked over to the Belem Hilton to catch my ride to the airport where I was fixing the Beaver that had crashed.

As I walked into the lobby, I saw David Jones arguing vehemently with the hotel clerk behind the check-in counter about his bar bill.

I still laugh about it.

TJM