An organic electroluminescent device containing an organic electroluminescent
element (2) and a polarized-light scattering film (1) which comprises
a light-transmitting resin (11) and dispersedly contained therein minute
regions (12) differing from the light-transmitting resin in birefringent
characteristics and in which the difference in refractive index between the minute
regions and the light-transmitting resin in the axis direction in which a linearly
polarized light has a maximum transmittance, n1, is smaller than
0.03 and that in a direction perpendicular to the n1 direction,
n2, is from 0.03 to 0.5, the light produced by the organic electroluminescent
element being emitted from the device through the polarized-light scattering film.
Also disclosed are a polarizing surface light source which comprises the organic
electroluminescent device and a liquid-crystal display which comprises the polarizing
surface light source and a liquid-crystal cell disposed on the light emission side
of the light source.