An organic electroluminescent device containing an organic electroluminescent element (2) and a polarized-light scattering film (1) which comprises a light-transmitting resin (11) and dispersedly contained therein minute regions (12) differing from the light-transmitting resin in birefringent characteristics and in which the difference in refractive index between the minute regions and the light-transmitting resin in the axis direction in which a linearly polarized light has a maximum transmittance, Δn1, is smaller than 0.03 and that in a direction perpendicular to the Δn1 direction, Δn2, is from 0.03 to 0.5, the light produced by the organic electroluminescent element being emitted from the device through the polarized-light scattering film. Also disclosed are a polarizing surface light source which comprises the organic electroluminescent device and a liquid-crystal display which comprises the polarizing surface light source and a liquid-crystal cell disposed on the light emission side of the light source.