The electrical characteristics associated with crystal structure changes as a function of La content for $(Pb_{1-x}La_x)(Zr_{0.5}Ti_{0.5})O_3$ thin films were investigated for applications in memory capacitors. Tetragonality of PLZT films decreased with increasing La content. Thin films with La $geq$ 20 mol% were found to be cubic. Films with La $geq$ 12 mol% exhibited broader dielectric peaks compared to those of bulk ceramics and behaved as relaxer ferroelectrics. Tetragonal PLZT film with 12 mol% La had a dielectric constant maximum of 1330 at room temperature and a charge storage density of ${sim}18{mu}C/cm^2$ at 5 V. Decrease in coercive field and remnant polarization with increase in La content were resulting from less dipolar response caused by the decreased crystal anisotropy. The leakage current densities $<10^{-8}A/cm^2$ up to 5 V bias voltage were observed for the films with La $geq$ 14 mol%.