A twisted nematic liquid crystal device has a liquid crystal layer between a pair of alignment layers. Glass plates with electrodes are disposed on opposite sides of the layers. The alignment layers have their alignment directions disposed mutually perpendicular and at .+-.45.degree. with respect to adjacent linear polarizers. The pretilt angle of liquid crystal molecules in a surface region of the layer adjacent the alignment layer is different to that of liquid crystal molecules in a surface region of the layer adjacent the alignment layer.