A liquid crystal display of the invention comprises an in-plane switching liquid crystal panel containing a liquid crystal layer whose alignment orientation changes according to an electric field in parallel with a surface of a substrate; a first polarizing plate and a second polarizing plate disposed sandwiching the liquid crystal panel therebetween; a first optical film inserted between the first polarizing plate and the liquid crystal panel; and a second optical film inserted between the second polarizing plate and the liquid crystal panel, wherein the first optical film includes: a retardation film A1 having a relation of nz>nx.gtoreq.ny; and a retardation film B having an in-plane retardation (Re) in the range of from 200 to 300 nm, a relation of nx>nz>ny and satisfying Nz coefficient in the range of 0.3nx.gtoreq.ny; and the slow axis of the retardation film B is in parallel with or perpendicular to the absorption axes of the first and second polarizing plates. The liquid crystal display has a high contrast ratio over a wide range.