Is it taking the Ten Commandments too far to deny a ventriloquist’s dummy (or, to be politically correct, “hard figure” — no pun intended) a tryst with Winona Ryder? To a couple of our fellow Texans who make hard figures, the answer is a resounding yes.

That the part of the dummy in “The Ten,” which opens Friday, had to be recast is as telling as any about the culture divide between irreverent Hollywood and faith-focused Americans.

The star search began when Duke Scoppa, the film’s property master, was assigned the task of finding a dummy to appear in a vignette about one of the commandments. In it, Ms. Ryder’s character, Kelly LaFonda, falls for a dummy named Gary, steals him backstage and absconds to a motel room with him.

Winona Ryder? Stealing something? Never! Art imitates life once again.

[The couple] have created many characters, including Chuckles, a white-haired mustachioed gentleman; Jarvis, a dark-skinned figure with curly hair; and Clappy, who has blue eyes and a round nose. In an average year they sell 20 Clappys, each handmade in their home workshop, for $300 each, Mr. Cowles said. He and his wife are also involved in “creative ministry,” using their art form to spread a Christian message. They lead workshops on puppetry technique and character development at the International Festival of Christian Puppetry and Ventriloquism, an annual weeklong gathering at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill., which attracted more than 1,000 participants earlier this month.

Many of their figures are used by missionaries. A Snergi is on a church-founding mission in New Zealand, and a Gilbert is evangelizing in Africa.

Okay, so, given their religious convictions, their choice is completely understandable, but, really, to force abstinence upon a dummy who obviously needs to see a doctor (there’s that 16-hour rule, remember) still seems a bit extreme.

Fortunately, someone else got to have fun:

The moviemakers were happy with the performance of their second choice. “He did a great job having sex with Winona Ryder,” said Matt Munn, the film’s art director. As racy as the scene with the dummy was, Mr. Semok pointed out that admirers of Ms. Ryder need not be jealous of Eugene.

“He’s just a dummy!” Mr. Semok said, proceeding to break the commandment about taking the Lord’s name in vain.