Abstract: A homeotropic liquid crystal display device compensated for the anisotropy of the homeotropically oriented nematic liquid crystal layer, by anisotropy compensating means comprising at least two anisotropic (e.g. uniaxial) films having their optic axes disposed to form a right angle in a plane parallel to the substrate to form an optically negative activity in the direction perpendicular to the substrate. This optically negative activity is so selected to compensate the positive optical anisotropy of the nematic liquid crystal when oriented homeotropically in the absence of electric field.