A liquid crystal display element which may have a multi-layer structure comprising substrates having electrodes and liquid crystal orientation controlling films on the sides thereof facing a liquid crystal layer and one or more liquid crystal layers interposed between said substrates, characterized in that the liquid crystal orientation controlling film is made from a copolymer produced by reacting a dibasic acid dihydrazide, a diamine and a tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride, followed by ring closure and dehydration with heating, is excellent in transparency and the electrode (partially reflected) pattern is hardly observable.