Femininity & Masculinity in Muscle Beach Party '64

It's easy to categorize most movies from this era as vehement supporters of standard gender roles, because most of them easily earn that rank. However, I believe that Muscle Beach Party could, upon reflection, provide some interesting ideas about masculinity and femininity.

One recurring theme I noticed in the film, especially among the gym members, was the complete freedom with which men called each other beautiful, appreciated the male form and were unafraid to come into close contact with each other. Meanwhile, in the past decade or so, I've noticed a violently homophobic rhetoric condemning all male contact (even through contact sports like wrestling or football) as a sign of homosexuality; god forbid anyone should hear you calling another guy beautiful if you present yourself as straight.
Furthermore, the difference in male beauty standards really interested me. The male "eye candy" of the film (big sarcastic quotes there) are all hairless and visibly smooth - usually also now seen as a feminine trait. The surfers are similarly landscaped. It seems that in '64, even the most macho men pay incredibly close attention to their hygiene and body hair, something that now seems expected only of women.

While a cursory glance at this film would yield the assumption that it is entirely misogynist, there are a few spaces where women push back against the objectification endemic in the surf scene. As I mentioned in class, even the blonde gym "accessories" (a title so demeaning it almost defers all close analysis) are physically powerful and (comically) hold their own in the brawl scene, kicking ass just as well as any of the muscleheads. While Candy is seen as a humorous male sex object, she is also powerful in her own way, using her allure to actually conquer other men during the fight. These bombshells all use their bodies to take what they want.
Moreover, Giuliana's character, while sometimes referred to as whimsical, could be argued as a feminist character. She uses her money to do as she pleases, and has several men in her employ. She objectifies the hell out of Mr. Galaxy and the rest of the crew, which the film emphasizes in her once-over of his body during their first meeting. Her main account handler and Jack Fanny both seem flummoxed and threatened by the unabashed sexual desire she exhibits. And, all the "proteges" she takes on are entirely at her disposal. Despite, perhaps, its best efforts, this film makes it clear that Giuliana is much more than part of the surf environment, and that women do have narrative agency.