The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device. An optical
film having negative uniaxial double refractive index ellipsoids is
arranged below a semi-transmitting liquid crystal display cell and,
thereafter, a .lamda./4 phase difference plate, a .lamda./2 phase
difference plate and a polarizer are arranged. The orientation axis
direction of the optical film having negative uniaxial double refractive
index ellipsoids is substantially equal to the direction which is rotated
by 90.degree. in the clockwise direction from a resultant vector of the
orientation axis direction of the upper orientation film and the
orientation axis direction of the lower orientation film of the liquid
crystal display cell. Further, phase lagging axis of the upper and lower
.lamda./4 phase difference plate is set substantially equal to the
orientation axis direction of the optical film having negative uniaxial
double refractive index ellipsoids.