Drinking Contest: Any Support From the Books?

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Turin

... then again, I think, PJ, subtlety and wit don't go together very well!

I don't disagree. There is a reason, however. Subtle wit does not (or at least is not perceived to) have the same broad appeal of obvious humour, running gags, slapstick etc.

There certainly is a great deal of very well done gentle humour in the book. But would it have had the mass appeal of Dwarf-tossing jokes? We don't know for sure, but the production team and those backing the films clearly thought not. And the films have been extraordinarily successful, albeit not entirely so with committed fans of the book. So their decision is justifiable on that basis.