A thermotropic optical shutter device incorporates coatable, thin-film polarizers with a thermotropic depolarizer. The coatable polarizers provide a mechanism for adjusting the polarizer properties (i.e., absorption, reflection, or diffusion) by changing the thickness of the coating. For example, a thicker film may have a higher relative polarizing efficiency while a thinner film may have a lower relative polarizing efficiency. Using the same base materials and manufacturing process, the contrast ratio and other properties of a thermotropic or thermochromic shutter device (e.g., a liquid crystal-based smart window film) may be adjusted in real time on the manufacturing line.