SS Rex, The Fascist Titanic
Fast, sleek and opulent, the legendary liner inspired the name of a beer
“Hurray for the Rex! The greatest thing the regime ever built!”
In Fellini’s Oscar-winning 1973 movie Amarcord, the SS Rex comes out of the darkness, glistening with lights like a giant Christmas tree. The crowd awaiting her passage cheers, claps, waves hats and handkerchiefs— some even shed a tear — at the sight of the almost mythical ship sailing through the summer night.
The SS Rex was impressive for several reasons: for one, she was the largest Italian ocean liner ever built up until 1991, when the Grand Classica stole the title. The Rex also held the westbound Blue Riband between 1933 and 1935, and achieved the distinction of sending the first live radio transmission to the United States and to Europe while crossing the Atlantic. She even entered American military history after being involved in a highly publicized U.S. Army Corps training exercise in 1938.
Temporary named Guglielmo Marconi during construction, the ship was soon re-named Rex — the Latin word for “king.”
Regis nomen…
