A retardation plate characterized by being obtained by laminating a
homeotropic liquid-crystal film formed from a homeotropic liquid-crystal
polymer of the side chain type or from a homeotropic liquid-crystalline
composition comprising the side chain type liquid-crystal polymer and a
photopolymerizable liquid-crystal compound to a stretched film having a
retardation function. In the retardation plate, the retardation in the
thickness direction can be regulated to a value in a wide range.