A novel liquid crystal display device is disclosed. The device comprises
two polarizer films, a liquid crystal cell disposed between these two
polarizer films wherein liquid-crystalline molecules are oriented
substantially normal to the substrates under non-operative state in the
absence of applied external electric field; at least one layer of a first
optically-anisotropic layer having an optically positive refractive
anisotropy having Re falling within a range from 40 to 150 nm at visible
light; and at least one layer of a second optically-anisotropic layer
having an optically negative refractive anisotropy, and having Re of 10
nm or less and Rth falling within a range from 60 to 250 nm at visible
light.