Michel Legrand

French composer

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

Michel Legrand was a French composer known for his lush, jazzy scores, most notably for the 1964 musical film The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. In this film, all dialogue is sung, and Legrand's music, including the classic song "I Will Wait for You," complements the poignant story of a love torn apart by war. He also collaborated with director Jacques Demy on the musical film The Young Girls of Rochefort. Legrand's work contributed significantly to the charm and beauty of these cinematic productions.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Elmer Bernstein

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

The Thomas Crown Affair
Production notes and credits
Read More
Read More
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
…cast is as charming as Michel Legrand’s lush, jazzy score, with 20-year-old Deneuve radiating an almost surrealistic beauty. The songs include the grandly romantic “I Will Wait for You,” which has since become a classic, and the music is complemented by an eye-poppingly vibrant colour palette in the film’s costumes…
Read More
…cast is as charming as Michel Legrand’s lush, jazzy score, with 20-year-old Deneuve radiating an almost surrealistic beauty. The songs include the grandly romantic “I Will Wait for You,” which has since become a classic, and the music is complemented by an eye-poppingly vibrant colour palette in the film’s costumes…
Read More