Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone" rated the film three out of four stars and commented, "The convoluted screenplay ... makes it hard for director James Ivory to maintain an emotional through-line. But Richardson ... finds the story's grieving heart. Fiennes is her match in soulful artistry. As the last film from the legendary team of Ivory and producer Ismail Merchant ... "The White Countess" is a stirring tribute to Merchant, a true builder of dreams in an industry now sorely bereft of his unique spirit."