Abstract: A porous polyethylene film was obtained which is characterized in that micropores are contiguous with one another from one surface to the other surface of the film to constitute a laminar structure, and said micropores assume the form of strips being composed of microfibrils that are arrayed in a direction in which the film is stretched and nodular portions that are coupled to said microfibrils nearly at right angles thereto, wherein the micropores have an average pore diameter over a range of 0.05 to 2 microns as measured using a mercury porosimeter, said film has a porosity over a range of 30 to 90%, and an elastic recovery factor from the 50% stretching ratio is less than 50%.