Abstract: A composite retarder plate is a laminate including (A) at least one retarder layer made of a high-molecular film satisfying the relation nx>ny>nz, (B) at least one retarder layer satisfying the relation nx≧ny>nz and having an optical axis inclined relative to a direction of a normal line with respect to a plane of the layer, and (C) at least one retarder layer satisfying the relation nx>nz≧ny or nx>ny>nz when nx and ny are in-plane refractive indices and nz is a refractive index in a direction of thickness, wherein &Dgr;Nxy and Rth given by Nx≧Ny, (Nx−Ny)·D=&Dgr;Nxy and {(Nx+Ny)/2−Nz}·D=Rth and based on monochromatic light with a wavelength of 590 nm are in a range of from 25 to 100 nm and in a range of from 100 to 300 nm respectively when Nx and Ny are in-plane refractive indices in the laminate, Nz is a refractive index in a direction of thickness of the laminate and D is the thickness of the laminate.